What the Eyes See
by Roman Paladin
Summary: What if the Maidenhead fight during the BDM had gone differently? Unapologetically MalRiver! NOW COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Mal and Jayne sit down with Fanty and Mingo. Mal desperately wants to close this deal and try to get in on a new one. Jobs had been getting harder and harder to come by lately and this recent job had almost gone pair shaped had it not been for River's vision of the Reavers just moments before they reach him and the crew.

Mal contemplated with a sort of morbid curiosity just what would have happened to himself and the others had she not warned them. Would they have completed the heist in time to get away? Were there any other signs they could have picked up on to detect the Reavers themselves? None that Mal could think of. And it was this fact that ate away at him because River and Simon had just decided to leave.

There would have been no way Mal would even be having this conversation with Fanty and Mingo right now were it not for her intervention. It seemed a damn shame really, he had been sheltering her and Simon mostly to his own detriment up until now. There were many honest, and not so honest jobs they had to pass on in the last eight months on a count of River, and now here she was just beginning to show some real promise with some skills that might actually allow the crew to compensate for the losses they had to endure.

But it wasn't just that. Mal couldn't help but feel as though he would miss River more then he had originally anticipated. He wasn't quite sure why it was eating at him so. "Wouldn't things be a lot smoother without her around?" He thought to himself, "wouldn't he finally be able to take up some of those milk runs closer to core without having to worry about alliance patrols as much?" Mal couldn't put his finger on it exactly but some how these thoughts weren't nearly as consoling as he had hoped they would be. Turning his mind to the work at hand Mal tried to focus on his conversation with Fanty and Mingo, perhaps he might try to track down the doctor and his sister later and see if he couldn't make amends, if nothing else at least Kaylee wouldn't be so mad at him anymore.

Turns out that Mal choose just the right moment to focus in again, as Mingo and Fanty tried to up their take.

"My muscular butt its 40," Jayne balked

"It is precious, as of now," Mingo shot back.

"Your unpredictable Mal, you run when you ought to fight, fight when you ought to deal, makes a business man a might twitchy."

Mal was ready to reach across the table and strangle both of them. He was so gorram tired of getting this speech from his contacts, it's like these low lifes had no greater pleasure in life then to try to knock him down a few more pegs every time he meet them.

Just as Mal was about to tell Fanty just what he could do with his advice he heard a commotion in the bar area behind him. It sound like a big fight was going on. Mal expected to turn around and see several patrons in heated exchange over cards or some such thing but was shocked to turn and see none other then River in cluster of people spinning and flipping herself and anyone else within her reach all around the room. Mal watched in confused awe as she dispatched several larger men in the blink of an eye.

"Hey a tussle," Jayne chimed in behind, trying to peak around Mal to get a closer look. Mal moved a fan near him back to give Jayne a clearer look.

"Jayne….." Mal murmured as he tried to motion toward the source of the ruckus. Once Jayne saw he was just as shocked as Mal, both men caught in an almost trance like state as they watched River spin and flip around the room taking out everyone in sight.

"Do you know that Girl?" Mingo asked as he and Fanty joined the other two men in astonishment.

Watching River eliminate two more patrons as they tried to escape up the stairs, Mal finally snapped back to the present. Motioning over to Jayne he tried to get Jayne to get a hold of her to stop her, mean while Mal attempted to make his way up the stairs where River had just been to try to retrieve his gun from the security station he had checked it at as he entered. Mal could tell by the efficiency with which River was taking out everyone else in the bar that Jayne may not be enough to stop her. He didn't fancy the idea of having to train his piece on River, but he didn't see any other option. He just prayed to whatever God was listening that he wouldn't have to fire.

River descended the staircase back down upon a terrified crowd of people as Mal tried to sneak back up the stairs behind her, as Mal reached to security station he shoved another man out of the way and began desperately searching his pockets for his box key.

Behind him he heard Jayne's momentary groan and then a large thud as he hit the ground. Mal knew she would be on him any second.

Finally he found his key and plunged it into the box. Below he could hear the last few people yelping in pain as River finished them off in rapid succession. Finally Mal threw the box open and ripped his gun out of the case just as River simultaneously trained a gun she grabbed off her last attacker on him.

They stood frozen in place looking at each other. For the first time since this ordeal began Mal could see her face, though her movements were rock steady Mal could tell by the look on her face that she was terrified. He could see that somewhere inside her there was a titanic struggle going on. As if some demonic entity had taken control over her body but left her mind in tact. She was fighting desperately to regain control. Something in her eyes was crying out to him for help. Mal wanted to help but he didn't know how.

"Plea…Plea…Please…Help…." She stuttered out.

"I'd like to very much darlin, but your going to need to put that gun down first," Mal answered back, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Ca…can…can't…." She struggled to reply still focusing on trying to defeat some mental invader.

Mal lowered his weapon, putting his hands in a very defensive gesture he slowly tried to inch his way down to River. She stood frozen in place still training her gun on him as he slowly descended the stair case.

"River, I'm coming to you ok?" Mal said as he made his way towards her.

"Yo…you…you shouldn't….isn't safe…." She struggled out.

"I can see that, but I don't see as we got a whole lot of other options, just keep trying to get that gun down."

"Cap…Capt…Mal…Oh God….I….I….can't hold it…" Mal could tell that she loosing the internal fight.

"It ok River, I'm here, stay with me now darlin, I'm almost there," there was now a tinge of panic in Mal's voice not only was he worried about his own life but he could see that this thing in her head was coming close to destroying her as well.

"Just try starting small, try to get your finger off the trigger ok hun?" Mal intoned as gently as he could muster.

"I….I'll try…"

With a force of will that seemed to drain an immense amount of strength River slowly tugged at her trigger finger, mean while Mal continued to close in on her as quickly as he could. He was almost within arms reach.

Just as he was almost within range she was able to tear her finger away from the trigger and a moment later Mal gently reached over and took to gun out of her hand. Once he finally got the gun out of her hand, she collapsed into his chest. Mal rushed to grab her before she felt to the floor. He wrapped her in his arms and held her as she began to sob uncontrollably. Mal heard her mumbling out words that were completely unintelligible to him.

Mal tried to calm her as best he could, pulling her closer into himself and trying to reassure her. Surveying to body strewn about the bar Mal found Jayne slowly picking himself up off the floor, looking as though a ship had fallen on him. He shook his head out a few times and then glanced over at Mal and River. He gave Mal a confused look but Mal just waved him off. Then gently lifting River into his arms he whispered into her ear as she continued to cry.

"It's alright darlin, it alright, we're going home,"

Then motioning over Jayne they both started back up the stairs and out of the bar. Once they reached the top they were met by Simon who came tearing into the bar. Stopping front of Mal as he held River he shot Mal a very concerned and confused look.

Mal simply shook his head, "We'll talk about this when we're all back on board,"

Then as Mal moved forward Simon's view of the scene below became completely clear. Standing in disbelief for a few moments Simon took in the view before he quickly followed after Mal and Jayne.

Once back at the ship River refused to let go of Mal, her arms wrapped around him in a kind of vice grip that no amount of coxing from Simon could break. Mal sat down on the couch in the common area and let her continue to cling to him as he kept whispering things to her in an attempt to console her. The rest of the crew eventually came up to the sit around Mal, each with a look of intense concern on their faces.

Simon continued to try to get his Sister to come down to the infirmary so he could check for injuries.

"Don't think ya got to be too worried about her," Jayne said as he entered the room and grabbed something out of the freezer to place over his groin.

"She probly da only one who wasn't hurt in that fight…..well other then the Captain that is…" Jayne gave Mal a slightly jealous look.

"So what happened in there? Kaylee piped in.

"Do we know if anyone was killed?" Zoe asked.

Mal looked down at the still sobbing River in his arms, "It likely, I know she meant to kill me before….." Mal trailed off in thought for a moment, "Well before she didn't…."

"I don't think I understand," Kaylee questioned

Mal shifted uncomfortably in his seat for a moment. "Don't rightly know little Kaylee, all I know is she had a piece trained on me but was able to fight back the desire to fire it."

Mal looked over to Simon, "Care to shed any light on this?"

Simon pulled his gaze away from River who had so far rejected his attempts to even get near her, "I don't know, but judging from what you told me on the way back it sounds as though….as though she may have been triggered somehow."

"Triggered?" Zoe asked with an extremely concerned look.

"The people who helped me break River out had intel that all the academy subjects were being embedded with behavior conditioning, they taught me a safe word in case something happened."

"Safe word?" Zoe was now beginning to look a bit more irritated.

"It's a phrase that makes her fall asleep, though apparently it wasn't necessary." Simon motioned over to River still sitting on Mal's lap.

"Something? You care to elaborate on what that something might have been?" Mal said with a kind of cold anger.

Simon responded defensively, "They never told me, I never imagined it could have been anything like this."

Mal was fuming, eight months they had been on the ship, at any given time she could have done this on the ship and they never would have seen it coming.

Suddenly River spoke up, with her face still partially buried in Mal's chest, "He didn't know. Couldn't know. Broad wave trigger. Alliance High Military," She struggled out in between gulps of air.

"What's that moonbrain babbling about?" Jayne growled out.

"Hey!" Mal shot back, giving Jayne a withering look.

"Seems like she's talking about something she might have seen on the corex screens in the bar." Wash offered

"If that's the case we ought to go talk to Mr. Universe, he might be able to give us a little more to go on."

Mal thought on it a moment. "Sounds like a pretty good idea, Wash see if you can raise him on the coretex and while your up there on the bridge set a course for Haven, think its best we find a place to lay low for a bit while we sort this out."

Having said that Wash headed up to the bridge with Zoe following close behind. Kaylee made a comment about being excited to see Book again and wondered down to her bunk to get ready. Jayne muttered some moonbrain comment and wondered off.

Simon stayed for a few more minutes still concerned about his Sister. Finally Mal tried to get the doctor to easy off River and head down to his room, perhaps catch a little sleep.

"I don't want to leave her here like this, at the very least I should give her a smoother for the anxiety." Simon reached into his medical bag but River refused

"No! No more gorram needles and drugs!" she shouted, drawing herself even closer to Mal.

"Mei mei, its ok, the smoother will help….help calm you down."

"Calm me down! I just committed mass murder because an oaty bar commercial told me to! Should I really be calm right now!" Mal could feel her tensing up again so he intervened.

"Sounds like she's not interested just yet Doc, maybe you ought to clear out for a bit and let her get her bearings."

"But I…" Simon tried to protest but Mal simply held up his hand and motioned him to leave. Reluctantly Simon stood up and headed down to the infirmary, "Just promise me you'll get her down to the infirmary before we get to Haven, I'd at least like to do a quick visual examination to make sure she hasn't sustained any serious injury." Then Simon left Mal and River alone on the couch.

For the first few moments River simply sat holding on to Mal and tried to control her breathing, after some time had passed Mal began t lightly run his fingers through her hair, continuing to whisper comforting words to her. Eventually she began to breath normally, slightly loosing her hold on Mal enough to pull back and look up into his eyes.

They both sat there for a moment, transfixed in each other's stairs. Then Mal finally broke the silence.

"Why didn't you shoot me?"

"I…I… just couldn't, not you."

"You didn't seem to have any problem taking Jayne out," Mal gave her a slight smirk which a illicit a similar look from her.

"Didn't really want to hurt Jayne, not that much, but I couldn't find the strength to resist hurting him. Only for you."

"Is that so, why you spose that is?" Mal asked with a semi serious yet playful tone.

"Well I….I mean I…..can't really quantify that yet." River said, "I only know that if I could I would have ripped off that arm to keep it from firing," She said with a great deal more passion then she had originally intended.

"S'all right for now darlin' we'll talk on this more later, for now I think its best you get some rest while we're enroot to Haven."

Mal got up to head to the bridge but River held on to his wrist, "Please don't go, if I try to go back down to my room to sleep Simon will try to give me more medicine and smoothers." She pleaded

Mal thought for a moment, "Tell ya what, why don't we put you up in my bunk for the moment, I conjure that'll be the last place the Doc will think to look for you."

River gave him a slight smile, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it darlin."

With that Mal helped River down to his bunk and helped get her settled in his bed, before he left River called over to him, " You promise to keep Simon away?"

"Don't you worry bout him, I'll keep him off you at least till we get to Haven, but I doubt Simon will let you off the ship before going down to see him, just focus on getting some rest for the moment."

Seeming content with that answer, River settled in to rest. Mal stood for moment looking at her lying in his bed, unable to shake the feeling that it seemed right for her to be there. River gave him a lazy smile as she started to drift off to sleep, "I agree…" she said right before she slipped off.

Mal was somewhat taken a back by that, getting so caught up in his own internal turmoil that he had forgotten that she had probably been hearing all of it. Trying to keep himself form thinking on that too deep Mal turned to get to bridge to see if Wash had made contact with Mr. Universe and mumbled something to himself about Book's special hell.

As she heard him close the hatch above River settled into sleep, strangely comforted by her immediate surroundings, though he had left, Mal's unmistakable presence permeated every inch of the room, wrapping her cold mind in a kind of warm physic blanket. As she sleep started to weigh on her eyes River succumbed to the presence around her and for the first time since she had left that cryo box on Persephone, she got a deep, dreamless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

"Subliminal messages, Alliance High Military," What did it all mean? Mal thought to himself as he sat alone on the bridge. It had been hours since Mal had spoken to Mr. Universe but he continued to play the conversation over and over again in his mind as he stared off into the black.

After the meeting Mal had ordered everyone to get some rest on their way to Haven. He'd even relieved Wash so he could get some quality time with Zoe. Though truth be told Mal wasn't really sure where else to go as his bunk was currently been occupied by a cute brunette. That thought startled Mal a bit, for a single moment he had almost stopped thinking of River as Simon's crazy sister and more as….as….Mal shook his head to get his mind of this train of thought, it could only lead to trouble. But as a million different thoughts and fears ran though Mal's mind he was certainly glad that he was on his way to see Book. Though they had not always seen eye to eye, the Shepard had always had a unique ability to clarify things for Mal, really help him get to the heart of things.

Mal scanned the console and noted that they would be coming up on Haven soon. Putting in a call to Wash to retake the helm, Mal headed back to his bunk to wake River for their impending arrival.

Mal opened the hatch to his bunk as quietly as possible and descended silently into his room. Upon entering he notice there was only a dim desk lamp on. As the hatch above closed Mal noted the darkness that came in to surround him. Their alone in the stillness of the dimly lit room Mal could see River resting just as he had left her. He paused for a moment to take in the view. She seemed so peaceful, more so then he had ever seen her before. The warm glow of the lamp seemed to reflect off her alabaster skin in a manner that made it seem that she was the source of the light.

River felt herself slowly rising from sleep. Her mind genially powered itself back up at the sensation of a new warm presence in the room. From the feel of it River could tell that this was the same psychic warmth that had lulled her to sleep, but more intense. The source of it, she surmised. She couldn't so much read him as much as feel him in her mind as she regained consciousness. She could feel waves of contentment pouring off of him, as well as another set of emotions that she could not identify. When she finally opened her eyes she was greeted by the sight of the Captain kneeling next to the bed, with a sort of boyish grin on his face that made him look years younger then she had ever seen him before.

"Hey you," She whispered out slowly as she awoke.

The familiarity of the tone struck Mal a bit, causing his eye brows to arch a bit. Upon seeing his reaction River gave him a gentile smile that caused Mal to break out into an even wider grin.

The two looked at each other a bit, neither one willing to spoil the tranquility of the moment. Then after a long pause River finally pulled her self up and out of the covers and began to sit up right on the bed. Mal move to take up the space next to her. After taking in a deep breath Mal tried to turn serious.

"We'll be landing on Haven in about an hours time. I conjure your going to want to go down and see that brother of yours before we land, otherwise he likely to keep you here to run tests after we land."

"I will, and thank you for letting me rest here." River said bowing her head slightly.

Mal had noticed ever since the Maidenhead River had seemed to be much more lucid then he had ever noticed before. Her sentences didn't seem so broken and her use of whimsical metaphors were almost gone.

"Something broke, something snapped in here" she said pointing to her head.

Unable to pass up a chance for some good natured ripping Mal blurted out, "That so, thought something had already broke in there," He chuckled.

River gave him a sheepish grin letting him know that she understood his intent wasn't malicious. Then her expression turned serious as his had a moment ago.

"Did you find out anything from Mr. Universe?" she asked.

"It was just as you said, Alliance had rigged that Fruity Oaty Bar commercial with some kind of high tech secret message to trigger you, Mr. Universe said he'd been seeing that very same code all over the cortex that last couple of days." Mal said with a bit of apprehension.

Mal hesitated to bring up his next question, unsure what kind of reaction to expect from River, bur finally deciding that she had a right to all the information he finally said, "We also notice you say something right before you were triggered…" Mal trailed off still unsure if this was the best time.

"Miranda…" River whispered breathlessly.

Mal paused for a moment uncertain how to proceed. When he finally looked back to look at River he could see she was lost in a kind of other worldly trance. As Mal watched, wondering what to expect next he notice tears start to well up in her eyes. She turned to look at him, her previously serene expression completely shattered.

"It isn't mine….the memory it isn't mine." She said in a somewhat frantic tone.

Tears started to streak down her face as her gaze fell to the floor, "Old men covered in blood. Never touched them but their drowning in it…,"

Mal moved closer to her and placed his hand under her chin, slowly lifting her gaze to meet his he could see an expression on her face, pleading with him to understand. It was the same expression he had seen on her when she was fighting back the mental demons back at the Maidenhead.

Finally the expression broke and she started to cry. Her arms reached out for him and he pulled her into his chest, willing himself to think of pleasant thoughts and trying to will them into her mind. After a moment or two had passed River's crying had subsided and she pulled back slightly. Trying to wipe the tears from her eyes she continued to look down.

"I don't know what I'm saying, I never know what I'm saying." She said shaking her head.

Mal again tried to get her to meet his gaze. River sat on the bead trying to absorb some of the ambient psychic warmth in the room, as well as the warmth she now felt Mal trying to direct at her intentionally. When she finally lifted up her head Mal saw that her expression had turned a bit more like it had been before all this had began. Giving him a faint smile River was able to manage out a silent "Thank you."

"Don't mention it darlin', " Mal answered back in a tender whisper that surprised him with its softness.

After another moment had passed River was able to regain her composure. As they both stood up Mal looked back at River, "Bout time we paid that doc brother a yours a visit wouldn't ya say?"

River nodded in agreement and they both started toward the ladder and out of the bunk

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Simon checked and rechecked River over several times. Mal sat off in the corner of the infirmary with his arms across his chest. Simon had questioned why Mal had to say for the examination, but when he had offered to leave River shot him a pleading look of desperation. Almost unable to contain the laugh bubbling up through his throat at the sight of the comical look on River's face, Mal forced his most captainy expression up and made up some excuses about his right to know about the well being of his crew.

Simon had almost raised another protest but River caught him before he could speak, "Its alright Simon, after what the Captain has seen I think we owe him some explanations don't you think?"

Simon still didn't seem convinced but seeing that this wasn't a battle he was likely to win he relented and began his examinations.

After running another battery of tests, Simon turned away from his diagnostic screens and let out a loud sigh. Rubbing together his thumb and his index finger on the bridge of his nose Simon turned to look at the Captain and his sister.

"Medically, she in perfectly health."

River and Mal exchanged confused glances, "Ain't that a good sign doc?" Mal questioned.

"Well yes, and no. I mean its wonderful that River wasn't seriously injured during the fight but I'm still no closer to understanding what happened."

After Simon spoke Wash came over the com, "Ahh Mal, we're gonna be hitting atmo in a minute or two here, didn't know if you wanted to radio in to the Shepard again maybe have him meet us at the landing?"

Mal shot a quick indiscreet glace over to River, she bowed her head slightly to let him know it was ok to go. Mal walked over and hit the com, "Thanks Wash, be up in a sec."

Turning to look at River and Mal again once more Mal then moved though the doorway of the infirmary and disappeared up the stairs. Simon watched him leave for a moment and then turned back to his sister.

"How are you feeling Mei mei?"

"Like you said Simon, I'm perfectly fine."

"No I mean how are you doing, I know that must have been a very traumatic experience for you."

River shrugged, "I'll manage."

Simon's concern look turned more serious, "Why wouldn't you let me help you after the Captain brought you back from the Maidenhead? And where have you been for the last couple of hours, I've been worried sick."

River rolled her eyes, "I'm not a little girl anymore Simon, I don't always need you to look after me."

Simon pressed the issue, "But River, I'm your brother if I don't look out for you who will? Besides I'm also your doctor, I'd think you would at least heed my medical advice." Simon said with a twinge of irritation edging into his voice.

"I've gotten a lot better lately Simon, I can take care of myself. And as far as your medical advice, well, that's not what I needed at the moment…." River trailed off, surprising herself with that new revelation but still unsure what it meant.

Simon gave her a very confused look, "Listen mei mei, I realize your not a little girl anymore but you'll always be my little sister I'm always going to worry and nothing you say or do will ever change that. And I know you've been getting better, but that's partly what concerns me. Ever since the Maidenhead your been well….almost normal….and without understanding what the cause of that is I'm a little nervous. I'm overjoyed to see you make so much progress but how do we know you won't have another relapse?"

"I won't," River said with a quite but emphatic emphasis.

"How can you be so sure? Did something else happen in that bar? Something you're not telling me?" Simon probed.

The truth was, neither she nor Mal had really delved into much detail about their personal exchange in the bar, partly because neither one of them really understood it either. But until they knew more they both decided to stay quite about it.

"Simon, I've told you all that I know and I'm sure if Ma…" River paused, deciding against using the captain's name, as it would raise unwarranted suspicions in her brother, as she didn't usually refer to the Captain so informally. She started again, "I'm sure if the Captain knew anymore he would have said so."

Simon was oblivious to River's verbal slip up and continued to press, "I'm not so sure, who can really know what is going though that man's head half the time."

River shot him one of her "Ahhh hello?" expressions. Simon gave her a slight grin, "Well I suppose you do."

At this both siblings laughed a bit. River then got up off the examination table and walked over to her brother and gave him a hug. "I know your worried Simon, but for now things are ok, lets just try to enjoy a little normalcy for a bit, who knows you might like it."

Simon gave her another smile as she pulled back. "Your right mei mei, perhaps I should lighten up somewhat."

Then Wash's voice rang out over the com, "Alright people we've broken atmo and we're setting down, should be on the ground in a minute."

At that River moved to leave the infirmary and grab a quick change of clothes, but just before she stepped out the door she turned and gave her brother a wicked grin, "Oh and since we're trying to get you loosened up, I suggest you spend some quality time with Kaylee while we're planet side, would do you a lot of good." She beamed.

Simon's face almost turned bright red, "Well…that is…I….Oh you little brat! Get going!"

River gave her brother another evil grin and then ran down to her room for a change of clothes.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once at Haven the crew as greeted by Shepard Book and a bunch of the settlers. They enjoyed a nice dinner with real food instead of the protein supplements of the ship and took in some much needed socializing. Conscious of their conversation in the infirmary, River conspired with Kaylee to get Simon to relax and spend some more time with her. Simon wasn't able to hold out against them for very long and was soon wondering off with Kaylee into the settlement a bit farther off. Kaylee had been overjoyed to have been able to enlist River in her plot but the fact was that River was all too willing to get Simon to go off aways. Without him hovering over her she could spend more time with Mal with raising his suspicions.

Not wanting to seem to overt Mal and River kept a good distance from one another around the others, but they were never out of each other's sight. Once night fell, however, River and Mal were able to utilize the cover of darkness to keep their interactions from prying eyes. Well, all but Book's anyway. After closing up the last of the buildings in the settlement for the night, Book headed up a ridge overlooking the settlement to find Mal and River lying on a small patch of grass looking up at the stars. He stood for a moment just out of their field of view but well with in ear shot.

Mal had his hand in River's hair, gently stroking it back. River seemed to be slowly drifting off to sleep. Finally when she closed her eyes Shepard started back towards Mal and River.

"Well isn't this special," Book said with his characteristically placid tone.

Mal turned with a start to see the Shepard coming up the hill. Looking back to make sure he hadn't woken River Mal slowly stood up to brush himself off.

"Ahh, evening Shepard." Mal said awkwardly, shifting his feet slide to side nervously.

"Relax Mal, no fire and brimstone lectures today." Shepard said reassuringly

"Truth be told I've been watching her ever since you landed. After what you told me happened in the Maidenhead I was a might worried to let her roam about unsupervised. But from what I've seen today she's doing ten time better then her best day I ever saw her on the ship. She seems much improved."

Mal glanced back down at her resting quietly on the grass. I slight smile tugging at the ends of his mouth, "That she has."

"Same could be said of you Captain." Book slid in subtly.

Mal, lost in thought, glanced back over to the Shepard, "…Wha…What…" He mumbled out distractedly.

"You Captain, you were in higher spirits today then I've ever seen you before."

"Ahh, yeah well, ya know…What do you mean?" Mal pulled his attention back from River's sleeping form and back into the conversation.

"Well you've been smiling a lot, laughing, why you didn't even threaten Jayne with bodily injury when he told that dirty joke at dinner." Book said.

"Yeah, well I've had a lot on my mind is all… and…." Mal tried to backpedal a bit.

"Yes, I can see that." Book said while motioning back towards River.

Mal squirmed a bit more in his place, shuffling the dirt at this feet. Book tried to reassure him, "Mal, contrary to popular belief a Shepard's job isn't to judge, it to help others truly listen to the stirrings of the Almighty in their hearts. After all the words of the Book are written on every human heart, we just have to learn to listen."

"You know I always look to you for council Shepard, but sermons make me sleepy." Mal tried to brush off Book's words but somewhere in the back of his mind they seeped in a little.

Book decided it was best not to press the issue, as Mal didn't seem ready to discuss it yet, and decided to change the subject, "You got a plan?"

"Hiding ain't a plan?"

"Oh, it'll do ya for a spell. Folks around here wouldn't mind the extra hands but…"

"Alliance will be after us," Mal finished Book's thought and continued, "I expect to hear the tromp of their boots any minute now." Mal stated resolutely

Book glanced back at Mal with a semi ominous look, "You won't, this isn't a palms up military operation, no warrants issued, no reports broad waved, much as they want her they want her hid. That means closed file, that means an operative, which is trouble you've not known." Shepard sighed and then continued looking down at crew and some of the settlers gathered around a camp fire below, "They'll come at you side ways, hit you where your weak."

"Its of interest to me how much you seem to know about that world," Mal questioned.

Book turned back to face Mal, "Wasn't born a Shepard Mal,"

"You'll have to tell me about that some time."

Shepard paused for a long moment, "Maybe….but not yet."

"Mmmm…." Mal thought to try to press the issue but then he spotted the crew and the settlers down below starting to pack things up for the night. At that the Shepard started back down the hill, turning back for a moment he looked at Mal, "I've set up some temporary lodgings for you and the crew just in case."

Mal nodded graciously and then Book continued on down the hill. Walking back over to where River was laying Mal thought to wake her up, but looking down at her resting so peacefully he didn't have the heart to wake her. Gently lifting her into his arms as he started back down to the settlement. As if on instinct River pulled herself closer to him, grabbing on to his suspenders nuzzling her head into his shoulder. This caused Mal to feel a great warmth rise up through his body as a slight grin broke onto his face.

Just as they were getting close the rooms that the Shepard prepared for the crew, River mumbled sleepily, "Don't wanna sleep there….back to your bunk…"

Mal stopped for a moment, "You sure about that darlin," he whispered as he softly brushed a strained of hair out of her face. She nodded lightly, still mostly asleep and mumbled a slight, "Uhuh,"

"Alright, back to the ship it is then." Mal turned slightly and started toward the ship. Probably for the best he thought to himself, he really didn't feel like explaining to Simon why he was River was wrapped around his neck yet again anyway.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

River was dreaming again. But this dream was different from her typical nightmares. She found herself walking through a children's classroom, but it was completely empty. Walking closer to one of the table screens she could make out numerous numbers, in a pattern, coordinates, she thought. Then to the left of the coordinates a planet appeared. River's perspective changed to her viewing the planet from a window that seemed to be orbiting the planet.

Taking a closer look at the planet River sensed something familiar about it. She'd seen it before in her dreams. Something bad had happened here, something unspeakable. But every time she tried to voice the words of what had happened, her voice failed. She was unable to speak. Unable articulate what had happened.

Something in the back of her mind started screaming. She was suddenly awash with feelings of irrational rage while simultaneously feeling an impossibly strong urge to slip, to let go into some deep dark abyss. The dichotomy tore away at her mind, pulling it in to different directions at once. She wanted to scream but she still couldn't find her voice.

Finally feeling as though she might collapse from the strain, she suddenly felt a surge of adrenalin hit her as some unseen monster grabbed her from behind.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

River awoke with a start just as Mal reached the Kitchen area back aboard Serenity. The jolt of her movement was so sudden that Mal almost dropped her. Catching her before she fell, Mal eased her down and became concerned as he felt her shaking.

Turning her around to get a look at her, Mal's concern turned to panic as he saw the look on her face. She had a kind of disoriented panic spread across her face as her eyes darted around the room. Mal tried to shake her out of it but she pulled away. Just out of arms reach she turned to look down the hall towards the bridge.

She turned back to look at Mal with the look of panic still on her face. She finally studdered out in a frantic voice, "Show you….you must see!" Then she started off toward the bridge. Mal followed her closely behind. A slight wave of relief came over him as he noticed she didn't go for the helm controls.

Instead she went right up to the navigation computer and started to punch way at the controls. The Captain in Mal immediately screamed to get her away from there. Who knows what she might do in her current mental condition. She might erase the nav stats and strand them all on Haven until they could reboot the entire system, or worse. But something about the look in her eyes, back in the kitchen told him she was still there, he hadn't lost her to chaotic forces that used to control her mind when she had first arrived on board. Something of her was still there, and it was pleading with him let her try to make him understand. Going against every fiber of his better judgment, Mal decided trust her.

After sitting with her at the navigation computer she slowly turned to him, the look of confusion and terror rapidly clearing from her eyes, she pointed slowly to the screen and said, "Miranda…"

Mal kept his eyes on her for a moment, hope rising in his very core at the sight of her mind seeming to clear up once again. Then after absorbing that a moment, he looked at the screen, unsure how to interpret what he saw. He saw a planet on the screen that was completely unfamiliar to him. Not that he was an expert on every world in the galaxy, but he was pretty familiar with most the major ones on the outer rim. Upon closer inspection he realized that this planet had not previously been in the nav computer at all. What did it mean?

Mal turned back to River who by now was almost completely back to normal. She too was staring with laser like intensity at the information on the screen. Finally Mal spoke up, "You alright darlin?" He asked.

She looked back and gave him a reassuring look, "I…I'm fine, I feel much better actually."

Mal looked back at the screen, "Any idea why you did this?"

River studied the screen another moment, "I just felt like it was something I had to do, like if I didn't my head my explode." She said with a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Any idea what it means?"

"Not really, it's the planet I saw in my dream alright, but…" River's voice trailed off. Mal waited patiently and finally she continued, "Something bad happened here, something very, very bad."

"Thinking maybe it might be something the Alliance don't want people to know about, maybe that's the reason there after you all of sudden?" Mal asked.

River had a clearly strained look on her face, "I….I'm not sure, it's not clear in my mind what it was exactly that happened there and…" Mal could tell that the conversation was extremely taxing on her. Not wanting to push her too hard after what she had just gone though, he tried to change the subject.

"Well, this is all kinds a interesting but I conjure we got plenty of time to think on this in the morning. Maybe bring the others up here see if they know anything about this. For now thought, I think its best if we sleep on it."

River nodded in a faint agreement and they started back toward his bunk. Once Mal got her settled in started back towards the ladder but River grabbed his wrist.

"Wait, stay, please?"

Mal was about to make some kind of statement about Book's special hell and her brother's surprisingly good right hook when he caught her gaze. Those big brown eyes looking up at him with such intensity, such wanting, his voice got lost somewhere in his throat.

After a minute she spoke again, "I just….don't want to be alone right now."

After another minute of gazing without a single thought running though his mind, Mal finally started to come back to his senses. Looking around for another blanket Mal picked up another one on a nearby chair. Then he settled in next to River on the bed, making sure to be laying on top of the blanket she was already under. Pulling the second blanket over himself, Mal settled in for some well earned rest.

As he drifted off to sleep he felt River's hand find his under the cover. Slowly turning to look at her, the last thing he heard her say before he fell asleep was, "Thank you, for staying…. and for trusting me on the bridge."

"Any time darlin…." Mal closed his eyes and drifted off into the first dreamless sleep he'd had in ages.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mal! Mal! You awake down there?"

Mal awoke with a start over Wash's voice.

"What?" Mal asked being suddenly startled out of his sleep.

"You got an incoming wave, I'm going to bounce it down to you." Wash said over the com.

Mal quietly picked himself off his bed so as not to wake up River. Straightening up the clothes he had slept in the night before Mal walked over to screen to answer the wave. He made sure to position himself so that anyone on the other end wouldn't have a clear view of the bed. Could be anyone on that screen, didn't want them to get the wrong idea. The idea had crossed Mal's mind that he should probably just have Wash take a message, but then that would raise awkward questions as to why he couldn't answer the wave right now. Who ever this was on the other end, he'd rather they see River in his bed then have to try to explain the situation to anyone on the crew. Besides, this person in the wave wasn't likely to pay too close attention to who or what was in his bed.

Mal flicked on the screen and suddenly realized how wrong he was. Staring back at him were the classically etched features of Inara Serra.

Mal swallowed hard. "Greetings….Inara."

"Hello Captain." Inara returned cordially.

Mal started to ease up a bit, she didn't seem to have noticed, then suddenly River made a small groaning noise and shifted slightly. Despite himself Mal glanced back for a split second to see if River had woken up, but she continued to sleep.

Mal turned back and tried to regain a seemingly casual demeanor. Inara didn't seem to be buying it completely.

"Is this a bad time?" She asked in a slightly nervous fashion.

"Oh no, no. So ah, what occasions the wave. Not that a wave from you isn't…" Mal fumbled with his words.

Inara decided to step in, "Well ah, some of the locals here down at the training house are getting a little unruly and I thought…."

"You could use a gun hand." Ma interjected more confidently.

"I'm hoping not but if you happened to be in the area, the crew could take her easy, and their'd be payment."

Something about Inara's tone was bothering Mal. Putting aside his own awkwardness for a moment he realized that there was something more to Inara's uncharacteristic lack of composure then their past history. She was in trouble.

"Well, alright ahh I'll see what we can do and I'll wave you again soon." Mal said in an attempt to get off this wave and out of this mine field of a situation.

"Alright, So I'll hear from you soon then Captain?"

"Count on it," Mal answered back.

"Ok, thank you Captain." Inara bowed gracefully.

"You too," Mal answered back and then shut off his screen.

Inara stepped away from the screen, awash in different thoughts. Chief among theses was whether she was more mad about the Operative forcing her to make that wave to set up her friends, or the discovery that Mal had been sleeping with some other women and then had the audacity to try to hide it from her. As if she wouldn't find out! The moment he clicked that screen on she could tell he was trying to hide something, and judging from how he had positioned himself he was trying to hide the view of his bed.

A less trained eye wouldn't have picked her up in the background, but the moment Inara realized what Mal was trying to hid her eyes were fixed on that bed behind him. He had done a good job of hiding her for the most part, but for a split second when he had turned around she had caught a glimpse of a women with long black hair and skin like ivory. Inara was impressed, had she and the Captain had a different relationship she would have congratulated him for being able to attract such an obviously attractive women. Though Inara couldn't place how she had also looked somewhat familiar. Undoubtedly Mal had taken on a new crewmember, as he wasn't one to employ whores and couldn't afford a Companion.

All of this was moot of course. She was sure that despite the tenseness of the wave, Mal had gotten the message not come. Inara resolved to contact Kaylee when and if this situation with the Operative ever got resolved to get the details on this new women in Mal's life.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own none of this, all property of Joss, Fox, and Universal

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mal held his hand on the button as he flipped off the screen, letting out a deep sigh as he waited for the anxiety of the moment to pass. Feeling himself becoming more calm he turned to see River, eyes wide open staring up at the ceiling focusing on something that only she could see.

Mal was about to ask what she was doing when she finally spoke, "She saw me." She said with her eyes still fixed upward.

Mal gulped hard for the second time this morning. River sensed his unease and tried to clarify, "She thinks she saw me, but she's not sure."

Mal gave her a confused look, "Care to elaborate on that darlin" Mal said while moving back over to the bed.

River pulled herself up and made a space for Mal to sit. Mal plopped himself down right next to her with another long sigh. He then turned to already find her ready to meet his gaze. River angled her gaze slightly upward again, as if the ceiling held all the answers to his questions.

Finally looking back she started again, "I was asleep until I felt a sharp presence in the room, when I awoke I realized that Inara had spotted me out of the corner of her eye when you turned to look at me."

"I thought you were still sleeping?" Mal asked.

"I wasn't, I didn't realize you were on a wave with Inara until after I had made the noise and moved a little. Once I realized what was going on I didn't want you to get any more nervous so I pretended to be asleep."

Mal thought on that for a moment, then threw up his hands, "Ok, so Inara knows you were in here. So what? We know we we're doing anything wrong right? So what does it matter what she thinks." Mal stated resolutely.

River gave him a slight smile, "You're right of course. But still you've done so much for me lately and the last thing I want to do is get you in trouble with the others….especially Inara…" River trailed off, a slight sound of disappointment in her voice.

Upon hear the tone in her voice Mal moved closer to River and took her hand into his. "Hey, what happened between Inara and me, its past, air threw the engine. Far as I'm concerned she made her choice when she left."

River probed a bit further, "And you? When did you make your choice?" Her eyes meeting his in a kind of pleading gaze.

Mal considered his answer for a moment, "I ain't gonna lie, I took it pretty hard when she left. Felt like I was all by my ownself again with no one but Serenity to keep me…." Mal trailed off in thought and then continued. "S'pose after awhile I just realized she wasn't the one for me. I knew that even if we had ever got together she was never going to accept me the way I am, ya know. She was always pushing me to do things bigger, better. But I didn't come out here in the black for money, just wanna go my way."

River nodded in agreement and waited for him to continue.

"Way I figure it there's two types a people in this 'Verse, people who look out into the black and see black, and thems that look into the black and see freedom. I couldn't ever see myself staying with someone who didn't look out there and see that."

With that they both stopped and soaked in the moment, both starring down at their feet with almost identical smirks on their faces. Then turning to each other they looked into the others eyes and shared a moment of silent conversation, relishing the words neither of them dared yet say.

After a long quiet River spoke again, "Well, anyway, Inara thinks you have a new crew member, because you turned before she could recognize who she was seeing, just knows this women has long dark hair and fair skin. Once she learns that their isn't a new crew member, she may just assume that she was seeing things."

Mal looked back at River, "When? How you so sure that shes gonna find that out?"

"She's in trouble, I know your going to try to go rescues her." River said, feelings of admiration for Mal's character mixed with a twinge of jealously towards Inara.

"Well, can't see how she'd set us up willing. I conjure we can't just leave her there." Mal reflected.

River gave Mal a very concerned look. "There is a man there, very dangerous, from the parliament….an operative…"

The hairs on the back of Mal's neck raised a bit at the mention of an operative, recalling the conversation he had with Shepard Book last night.

River was very worried, "Mal he's too much for you alone, I should go with you."

Mal was thrown a bit by her use of his first name, taking a moment to savor the sound of it in her voice, hearing it as if he'd never heard his name spoken before. After that moment had passed he struggled to focus, beginning to shake his head.

"No River, it isn't safe. This guy is after you more then anything else. You walking in there with me be like handing you back over to the Academy, and I'll be damned before I let that happen." Mal said emphatically.

River could feel waves of worry and grief coming off Mal as he contemplated the ramifications of losing her to Academy. The strength and depth of the emotions moved her deeply. Seeing that there wasn't going to be any way to talking him out of this, River finally relented.

"Fine, but you better promise to come back, Serenity needs her Captain….and so do I."

Mal flashed her another of those boyish grins, "That so? And just what would you be needing from your Captain exactly?"

River met his grin with a wicked grin of her own, "Well, who's going to keep our lives interesting if Zoe takes over and all our heists start running smooth?"

Mal feinted indignation, "Aw you think its so easy why don't you try planning one some time!"

"Well I'm pretty sure I won't ever end up stranded in the middle of desert on Bellerophon naked," River chided teasingly.

Mal turned a little red at the reference, "You remember that?"

"I had my good and bad days back then…" pausing slightly to give Mal a sly look, "…and that was definitely one of the better days."

At that they both burst out laughing for a while. Finally regaining their composer Mal got up to wash his face and speak with the rest of the crew about Inara.

Before Mal left he took one last look at River, who had begun to brush her hair out in front of his mirror. Spotting his reflection in the mirror she called out to him one last time. "Remember, you promised to come back."

"Wouldn't dream of disappointing you darlin," Mal said.

"Better not, or I'll kick your ass!" River said in a mocking tone.

Mal smiled to himself as he started up the ladder and out of his bunk.

River turned back to her image in the mirror, thinking that if she did something different with her hair, Inara might not immediately recognize it when she got there.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rest of the crew had noticed Mal's more upbeat mood almost immediately, though they attributed it to his recent contact with Inara. There had been a slightly tense moment when Mal realized the rest of the crew had been watching the wave between him and Inara, but it soon became clear that they did not have the same keen senses as Inara in such matters. Besides, Mal reasoned that if they did suspect anything he would have been greeted by a punch in the face by Simon as soon as he immerged from his bunk.

Turned out that Simon himself wouldn't have been in much of a condition to punch anything. He had taken River and Kaylee's advice about loosing up a little too close to heart last night during the festivities and downed a couple bottles of sake. Needless to say the good doctor was a little less then 100 when he came stumbling back up Serenity's ramp being held up by Kaylee all the way. She said he had thrown up three times that morning just on his way to the ship. Given River's warning about the Operative Mal was a little concerned that the Doctor might not be able to perform should Mal come back in a battered condition, but Kaylee assured him that she'd have Simon back up and about in no time. Jayne even offered a few of his own personal hang over remedies if Simon got any worse, though the mere suggestion of imbibing anything made by Jayne's hands almost seemed to make Simon more sick.

As it turned out rescuing Inara had gone off with out any major incident, other then the ensuing fight between Mal and the Operative that left him fairly badly beaten up. Had Inara not had the foresight to plant the flash bomb in the incense stand things might have gone a bit more bloody for Mal, but as it stood he was none the worse for ware.

Inara had notice a change in Mal though. He seemed almost lighter, like the great emotional weight he always seemed to carry around with him had been lightened a bit. There also wasn't as much tension in their conversation, in fact she got the distinct impression during their shuttle flight back that his mind was somewhere else. Inara attributed this to the mysterious new women she had seen Mal sleeping with during their earlier wave. She was tempted to bring it up with him, but she wanted to get some background from Kaylee before she started digging in too deep with Mal.

Inara had fully anticipated meeting Mal's new lover as soon as they got back to Serenity. She was immensely surprised when they finally got back and found River waiting on the catwalk outside the shuttle when they disembarked.

"Oh, hello River, how have you been."

River smiled back warmly, "Very well actually, I've improved quite a bit since you were last here."

"So I have heard." Inara continued to scan around the ship to see if she could catch sight of any new faces. When she didn't find any she decided to go seek out Kaylee.

Immerging from the shuttle behind Inara was a slightly battered Mal. Once Inara was clear of the immediate area River rushed over to Mal's side and pulled his arm around her shoulder. Grateful for the support Mal and River started to hobble down to the infirmary.

"Glad she brought you back in one piece." River beamed.

"Kinda wish she had been a bit more gentle during shipping though…" Mal winced as they made their way down the stairs.

"Don't worry, I'll have you patched up and flying in no time." River stated confidently as they made their way into the infirmary.

"You? What happened to the Doc?"

"Once Inara radioed us that you only had a few scrapes and bruises I told him to go get some more rest while I take care of you."

"You got any kinda training for this sorta work?" Mal asked.

"I helped Simon with his homework until I left for the Academy. I think you'll find me a very competent field medic." River answered with a bit of pride.

"I conjure I will." Mal said giving her a faint smile.

River examined his facial injuries first. Just a few minor cuts here and there. She shined a light in his eyes and checked his vision. Looked his head over for any major cranial impacts. Then she moved on to the next part of the examination.

"Take off your shirt." River stated in a very matter of fact way.

Mal paused for a moment, unsure how to respond, "Ummm what?"

River rolled her eyes, "You have to take off your shirt, I have to check your chest for fractured ribs and cuts."

Mal gave her another big grin, "Well I suppose you're the boss," Mal began to unbutton his shirt from the top. As each button came undone River could feel her professional composure begin to slip. Struggling to regain control, River shook her head out a bit and started to run her hands across Mal's rib cage.

The feel of her hands against his chest almost made Mal's heart skip a beat. Her long slender fingers moving all across his chest with a delicate yet purposeful motion that quickly consumed his senses, every millimeter of his skin drinking in the sensation. Mal closed his eyes, enraptured by River's touch.

River could see a number of scares and lines across Mal's bear chest. She quickly surmised that Mal had no serious bruising or cracked ribs, but she was unable to command her fingers to end their exploration. She found herself tracing his different scares up and down his torso. Finally tracking one all the way up to his neck she raised her gaze to met Mal's reopening eyes.

They both froze, peering deeply into each others eyes, lost in the other's gaze as if the whole verse around them had disappeared. After a long moment River took both her hands and placed them flat across Mal chest and pressed in closer, at that same moment Mal reached his left hand up into her hair and placed his right behind her shoulder, pulling her into a kiss.

Their lips met, her soft gentle lips spreading across his, wrapping them both up in a whirlwind of feeling, her tongue lightly dance across his with a taste sweeter then any desert Mal had ever tasted. River felt caught up in the strength of the contact, so overwhelming that she felt as though she may loose herself to it completely. She could feel her legs turning to jelly beneath her as she struggled to stay stable. The kiss lasted for what seemed like an eternity, only ending when they both finally ran out of air.

When the kiss finally broke River had to brace herself against arm of the examination chair that Mal had been sitting in, as her legs almost gave way completely. Mal himself had completely lost track of where he was and squinted in a mild spell of confusion at the bright lights hanging overhead.

When they had both finally caught their breath they both looked back at each other, words failing them as they struggled to process the moment. After a long silence Mal finally broke into a broad smile, "Darlin' I'd let you examine me over your brother any day of the week!"

River cracked a wide smile of her own, soaking up the warm feelings coming from Mal like a sponge. After another moment of contemplation Mal finally started buttoning his shirt back up as River started to put away some of the flash lights and band aids she had laid out when they had first gotten into the infirmary. Finishing their tasks at about the same time Mal got up and headed to the door with River following close behind.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So no new faces? None at all?" Inara questioned as she sat across the table from Kaylee in the kitchen area.

"Not unless their hiding in the walls and coming out at night after I go to bed." Kaylee answered back.

"Why, was you s'pecting to find some new people onboard?"

Inara paused to consider telling Kaylee what she thought she saw during the wave, but then decided that she must have been seeing things after all. "Oh no, I just thought that maybe with Book and I leaving Mal might have wanted to take on some extra crew, maybe a new tenant for one of the shuttles."

"Na, nothing like that. Fact Captain been pretty much keeping to hisself since you guys left. Not seem to interested in taking on any new people." Kaylee informed her.

Inara puzzled on these new revelations for a moment. If there wasn't a new women in Mal's life, what would explain his strange behavior toward her? What did it mean? Just as Inara was thinking on this Mal strode confidently into the kitchen area, looking a good deal more refreshed then Inara thought an examination from the doctor should have left him.

A short time later Simon came up to join the others, lightly leaning on River for support as he made his way to the table. After some casual chit chat with Zoe and Kaylee Mal disappeared up to the bridge. After he had been up there a moment, Mal's voice came over the com. "I need everyone up to the bridge for a moment."

Once everyone arrived Mal direct their attention to the nav computer and brought up the strange new planet that River had entered into the computer the previous night. After relating how the new planet had ended up in the computer, while making it sound as though he had found River at the computer while he was locking up rather then having brought her there to sleep, he ask them if they knew anymore. After no one said anything Jayne piped in, "Well, I say we just head over and check it out."

"That's just out side this system, not to far out, we could probably make it there in a day or so," Inara added, her curiosity aroused slightly.

"No, no! Bad idea, Honey show them the bad!" Wash exclaimed.

Zoe moved over to the nav computer and pulled the image back to a larger view of the immediate area around the planet. "This is us here at Haven, and this is Miranda, " Zoe ran her finger across the long expanse in between the two planets, "This all along here, that Reaver territory."

"They just float out there sending out raiding parties!" Wash added.

Zoe continued. "Not even the alliance goes out that far, you go though that you're signing up to be a banquet."

Mal started trying to think of a different approach to take when suddenly River started screaming madly. Simon tried to console her as he sat next to her but she couldn't stop shaking and crying. Ready to abandon any pretense of secrecy Mal was about to run over to try to comfort her when suddenly she began to speak, freezing him in place with her words.

"Shepard….Shepard Book….All the others….Gone…"

Everyone else paused for a moment unable to understand what she was trying to say. But Mal picked up her meaning perfectly. Quickly turning to Wash, Mal's face was set like stone. "Wash go for hard burn, get us to Haven NOW!!"

Nobody understood what it was that River had said that spooked the Captain so badly. Mal himself was so overcome with what he was sure River had seen that he was unable to form any words other then terse commands, inside hoping with every fiber of his being that maybe River had seen wrong.

When they finally got to Haven, they found the settlement completely destroyed. As the others watched in horror from the cockpit windows as the desolate scene unfolded below them, Mal and River stood silent. Twin expressions of knowing sadness across their faces. As Mal quietly maneuvered over to River she slid her hand discreetly into his., both trying to cling to whatever strength they could provide each other.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own none of this, property of Joss, Fox, and Universal.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as they had landed, the others fanned out looking for survivors. Mal and River knew better, but even they held out hope that maybe the Shepard had survived. Mal's eyes searched rapidly while River stretched out her senses as wide as she could, trying desperately to glean some stray thought that might belong to Book.

Finally she caught something, grabbing Mal by the arm she pulled him over behind some debris. As soon as he spotted him Mal rushed to his side with River close behind. Just at that moment Jayne came up behind them, the sight of Book almost unbalancing the normally rock solid mercenary. Mal turned to Jayne and yelled frantically, "Get the Doc!!!"

Book was in bad shape, River could tell by damage she could see, as well as by the sensations she was getting from him telepathically that he wasn't going to last much longer. Despite a strong desire to stay steady, she started to break down in tears.

"Shhh, now child…..you think I….look bad….you should see…..the other guy," Book struggled out as he pointed over to the wreckage of what used to be an alliance ship.

"I shot him down…..killed the ship that killed us….not very Christian of me."

Mal took the Shepard's hand into his, "You did what's right," Mal said, anguish for his friend dripping off his words.

Book gave him a weak smile, "Coming from you that means….almost nothing…"

Mal and River both gave him pleading smiles right back, "It shoulda been us, shoulda been us they hit not you," Mal said glancing up at River who was still looking down at Book but nodding in agreement.

"That thought had crossed my mind…" Book said making a second attempt at humor, "I'm…I'm long gone…"

"COMMON ON!!!" Mal roared in the direction he had seen Jayne take off in. Turning back to Book Mal tried desperately to encourage him, "You ain't going no where, I expect to be bored by many more sermons before you slip, just hold on."

"Can't order me around boy……I'm not one of your crew…." Book shot back.

"Yes you are…"Mal could now feel the tears building behind his eyes.

Shepard turned to River and weakly tried to reach out his hand to her, she reacted quickly taking his hand in hers. "I'm….I'm so sorry child….I had hoped to be the one preside over your marriage some day…"

River swallowed hard, shaking her head back and forth and clutching his hand close to her face, "You….you still can…." She struggled out.

Shepard took in the sight of both of them kneeling at his sides, looking up at him intently, "Had pictured….this sight going a bit differently myself…." Book sighed, "…my two wayward sheep…"

River and Mal exchanged glances and turned back to Book, who despite his condition gave them a big grin, "I'm a Shepard you know…..trained to look for these things….I've married couples that didn't look…..a fraction as good or as happy together as you two do even now…"

Mal and River forced down embarrassed expressions in spite of the moment. "You'll have plenty a time to embarrass us later…" Mal said urging Book to save his strength.

"I'm….I'm…I'm just so happy….you two finally found each other…." The Shepard struggled out urgently.

Turning to Mal, "You watch over her, protect her, even when she says she doesn't need you to…" Mal nodded reverently.

Looking back to River, "Try…try to keep him out of trouble….be there to pull him out of the fire when he doesn't listen to you…"

River struggled out a smile as she got out, "I will," in between her sobs.

"Well, looks like my work…..work here is done….time to go home…." Book trailed off as his eyes started to glaze over.

Mal felt the Shepard's weak pulse finally stop in his hand, his fragile grip on Mal's arm finally giving way. Mal let his hand slip as he stood up in shock. River remained kneeling at his side, no longer able to contain her cries as she continued clutch Book's hand. Moments later Jayne rounded the corner with Simon following close behind. The Doctor rushed to his side, River reluctantly moving aside as she stood up to reach for Mal. Without a thought he pulled her into his embrace as she continued to cry and they both looked on as Simon confirmed what they both already knew, Shepard Book was dead.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The atmosphere in the common area was muted at best as the crew haphazardly gathered together after surveying to damage to the settlement and learning that many of their other friends and contacts had been hit as well. Jayne seemed to be taking the death of Shepard Book especially hard as the two had build a friendship while Book had been on the ship.

After awhile Zoe finally spoke up, "What now sir?"

Mal had been pacing back and forth in front of the infirmary, at Zoe question he stopped and turned to her, "I got no gorram idea."

Kaylee piped in, "This Operative guy…who is he…what does he want from us.?" She got out, still a bit shaky from crying.

Inara answered back across from across the room, saying, "He's methodical, intelligent, and devote in his belief that killing River is the right thing to do." She turned a sympathetic eye over to River who was sitting on the couch, her tears having drying up earlier as she and Mal had made their way back to the ship. She now sat, her eyes starring off into the distance as she picked up on all the emotions running through the rest of the crew. She was concerned for them all, but worried that some of them might be on the verge of an emotional break down.

Simon turned to Inara, "Did he say anything about Miranda? Anything about how it might be a threat to the Alliance?"

Wash interjected, "Do we care? Are we caring about that now?"

Finally Jayne exploded, throwing his whisky glass down as he said, " You dumb ass blogs!! The only threat we need to be worrying on is the one to our ownselves so long as we keep sheltering moonbrain over there!!!" Pointing a finger emphatically in River's direction.

Mal's blood ran ice cold as he watched Jayne single her out. Clinching jaw tight enough to break bone, Mal struggled to prevent himself from saying anything that might exacerbate the situation.

Oblivious to the deadly look Mal was giving him, Jayne continued, "No offense Doc I think its noble as a grape the way you look to River…" he then stood up to face Mal, "But she ain't my sister and she ain't your crew! Oh and neither is she helpless, so where's it writ that we gotta lay down our lives for her, which is what you steered us toward." Jayne finished pointing an accusing figure toward Mal.

Mal turned to face Jayne, fire enveloping his eyes, "Seems I'm remember a previous conversation you and me had involving leaving crew behind….involving an airlock…" Deadly intent laced through each syllable of his words.

"Oh hell Mal this is differ…" Jayne was unable to finish his sentence as Mal's fist connected with Jayne's jaw with a loud crack that echoed through the room. Jayne fell straight down, caught completely off guard by the speed and force of the attack.

Mal's eyes still blazed as he looked down on the fallen merc, "And now I'm thinking that a little refresher is in order,"

Mal was about to reach for his gun when suddenly he felt a soft touch on his shoulder. He turned abruptly to find River standing next to him. She had moved so quietly that nobody noticed her come up to Mal's side. All eyes now focused on the scene before them, Jayne still struggling to get back on his feet and River now stepping in to try to calm the Captain.

She looked at him, a picture of tranquility. Mal instantly began to feel the anger drain away from him. Turning to look at Jayne she said, "He's just worried, worried about his family," she said making eye contact with everyone in the room, "Taking Books death really hard, just said it out of frustration."

A sense of calm descended upon the room for a moment. Mal appeared to physically relax, Jayne shot River a grateful look from the floor. Needing a moment to clear his mind Mal turned to leave, heading up the catwalk to the bridge. Inara paused for a moment and then decided to follow after him. River thought about going up after her, but then thought it would be better if she gave them some privacy to work out some things. Turning back to Jayne she offered him a hand up, which he eyed with suspicion for a moment. Finally after a long sigh he took her hand and hoisted himself back on his feet as she helped him into the infirmary so that Simon could examine his jaw.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Inara finally caught up with Mal just as he entered the kitchen area.

Hearing her unmistakable foot steps behind him, Mal turned to wait for her. Once she was close enough Mal spoke, "I got no answers for you Inara, I'm just as confused as everyone else is down there." Mal said in an agitated voice.

"Yes, but not everyone down there is threatening to shove others out of airlocks." Inara stated.

"Just tired of being questioned on my decisions every five minutes is all, man got outta line."

Inara gave him a very concerned look, "What's been going on with you lately Mal? It seems like ever since you came for me back at the training house you've been a different person. One minute walking around with at giddy little grin on your face, then next threatening to kill a man just for suggesting we leave River behind."

Mal's expression remained steady, "She's crew, my crew don't get left, you know that."

Inara's expression turned forlorn , "You left me behind…."

Mal's eyebrows rose at the statement, "I left you? Way I remember it, you was all manner of anxious to get off my boat."

"Maybe I wouldn't have, if I had been asked to stay." Inara reflected sadly.

Mal resented the implication, "Inara, you remember the night you first told me you were leaving, right after we left them girls at the Heart a Gold."

"Yes," Inara answered unsure where this was leading.

Mal continued, "You recall just before you told you was leaving that I was about to say something to you?"

Inara nodded feeling a tension building in her stomach at the memory.

"Yeah, you knew and decided not to hear me out anyway. I just wanted to clear the air, get some things straight, but you wouldn't hear any of it."

"Mal –" Mal cut her short, holding up his hand.

"You complicate things, fog things up. Can't ever stand to have things made clear, preferring instead to hide in your ivory tower, covering up your emotions behind that damn mask of companion training. Sacrificing real emotion for control."

His verbal dress down was becoming hard for her to bear, but he pressed on, "Well that night you turned your back, refused to hear me out, that's when I realized that whatever I was feeling for you was just another of your damn illusions. Oh, you liked to toy with the idea of me being with you, but once things started getting real you pulled back. Guess maybe you had even started to fall for your little game. But the fact is that once I tried to put it out there, you threw it back in my face."

Mal took a deep breath as he prepared to say his next sentence, "What ever there was between us, died on the catwalk that night. You killed it." 

Mal paused for a moment, waiting to see if she wanted to speak some peace of her own. Inara was still reeling from what he had just said and was unable to formulate what she would consider a proper response. Standing there watching her struggle to regain her emotional footing Mal quietly tried step away. But before he could get away completely he heard Inara finally get out, "Where are you going?"

Mal turned back to look at her, "Going to get some answers," Mal then turned and marched through the kitchen up to the bridge.

After remaining in the same spot for another moment digesting all that Mal had said, Inara turned to go back down stairs, a single tear escaping her polished exterior as she moved to rejoin the others down stairs.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Against Mal's better judgment, he had put in a wave to the Operative. He wasn't sure exactly why he contacted him. He was sure that he wouldn't offer him any options that Mal could accept. In the end, Mal's own morbid curiosity got the better of him, willing him to make contact just to see how hopeless the situation really was.

Mal wasn't disappointed as he spoke to the Operative. The man was still completely obsessed with his desire to get to River and willing to kill any and all that Mal cared about to achieve that end. After a time, the monotonous drone of the man's voice began to grate on Mal and he finally switched the cortex screens off.

Standing still in the cockpit for a moment Mal leaned over the console, contemplating his options. With a heavy sigh he finally came to the conclusion, he knew what he had to do.

Silently River glided into the room behind him. Mal didn't hear her so much as feel her presence enter, and turned slowly to meet her gaze. She stood off for a moment, not sure if Mal really wanted another emotionally draining conversation. Slowly willing herself forward she inched closer to him until he finally reached out to pull her into a tight embrace. They stood for a moment, wrapped up in each others arms trying with all their hearts to will the world around them away.

After another moment passed River finally pulled back a little to look into Mal's eyes. With a look of cold determination on her face to match his she finally spoke, "Its suicide you know, we'll never make."

Mal looked back at her, "I know darlin, I can't see any other way."

River paused for a long moment, "You could….take Jayne's advice….drop me off at the nearest habitable planet, or even leave me here. You could leave some weapons, I might be able to fight my way though them…." River's voice trailed off as she saw the pained expression spreading across his face.

Mal pulled her back into another embrace, unwilling to let go until the images of her back in the hands of the Academy moved to the back of his mind, "River, I'll not leave you to face that alone, not ever, if it come to that I'll be right along side you with my gun drawn," Mal said fighting back tears as he spoke.

Mal pulled her back a bit to look at her again, "Honestly River, I don't know what this thing is between us, but I can tell you that ever since this started I've begun to feel like life is worth living, like there's a point to this whole crazy Verse again. What ever this is, it's the most real thing I've ever felt. More real then when I joined up to fight for the Independents, more real then deck plates we're standing on right now. I'll go to hell before I let it go. You've given me my life back River Tam."

River took in his words and the emotions radiating off him as he spoke, so deeply moved she reached into the depth of her soul for a response, "I lived so long in comfort and luxury, my world was safe and steady. Then I fell into the hands of people who viewed my life as an expendable commodity, something to be tinkered and toyed with until it broke. My whole world went spiraling into a deep dark abyss that I never thought I'd return from. I just floated there in the darkness with nothing to cling to until the day I came crawling out of that cryo box."

She looked up at him, eyes shimmering as she spoke. "On that day I saw something there in the dark, a light calling me back from the darkness. I've spent every day since then trying to claw my way to that light, to reach out and finally touch it, to hold it in my arms and let it lead me back."

River paused, tears streaking down her cheeks, "And now here I am, back from the darkness and being held by that same light that called me back from oblivion. I wish I could say that you gave me my life back too, but the truth is that I hadn't lived a day in my life until I met you Malcolm Reynolds. And now that I have you, no power in the Verse is going to separate me from you."

The stood locked in a passionate gaze, all their thoughts and emotions laid bare before each other. Overcome by the forces between them they drew each other into another long fiery kiss, and for that one blissful moment the world truly did melt away around them and they hung suspended in the black, aware of nothing but the other.

As reality finally called them back they drew up a collective sigh and stepped slightly back from one another. Pondering their current situation for a moment, River broke the silence, "We could do it alone, leave them here or drop them off somewhere, at least then maybe…" River's voice faded as she realized the futility of the thought.

Mal weighed in on the suggestion, "I know darlin, but there isn't a place we could take them that the Operative wouldn't find them. Besides, this plan is likely to fail even with the whole crew, with just the two of us we might as well just point the ship into the nearest star and go for hard burn." Mal stated resolutely.

"Its going to get ugly, they won't understand." River told him.

"That's a pure truth, but they ain't gotta understand, just follow orders." Mal said trying for his most official sounding voice.

"And if they decide to mutiny?" River asked cautiously.

"Then I conjure I'm going to need your help darlin. Just try to hurt Jayne too much when he steps outta line this time, I think he's been beat on enough by both of us the last few days." Mal gave her a weak but reassuring smile.

River returned his smile. Then gathering as much strength of will as they could, Mal and River headed back down stairs to face the rest of the crew and set them on their suicidal mission.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finding the crew outside tending to the bodies of their fallen friends Mal and River headed over to them. Mal approached them from the front while River came up from behind the group. This was so Mal could approach them alone and not give the appearance of favoring anyone. It also allowed River to get up behind them, in case anyone did step out of line, River would be in a perfect position to knock them out before things got too ugly.

As Mal approached them they all gathered together around him as River quietly approached from behind.

"Get these bodies together, " Mal called out as he handed off a bundle of rope to Zoe who regarded it with a look of confusion.

"We got time for grave digging sir?" She questioned.

Mal spoke as if he hadn't heard her question, "I want you to gather up these bodies and spread them across our hull, six or seven oughta do."

I look of pure horror and revulsion spread across the faces of the whole crew, with the exception of River.

Regardless, Mal continued to bark out orders, "Wash you and Jayne hoist up that cannon mount, any place you can tear hull without entering a breach, do that too."

Then turning his attention to his appalled engineer, "Kaylee, I need you to tinker with our engine, make it look like we're running without containment but not enough to fry us."

"Bu…But Captain these people are our friends…"Kaylee stuttered out in protest.

Mal held up his hand before she could finish, "Kaylee, you got more then a day and a half's work ahead of you and only a half day to finish it."

Turning away from Kaylee, Mal scanned the area saying to no one in particular, "We're gonna need paint, red paint."

Zoe interjected, her voice cold as steel, "Sir, do you really mean to desecrate our home to make some suicidal run at getting through Reaver space?"

Mal looked back, his intensity matching hers, "I mean to live, the Alliance won't have that, so we go where they don't follow."

A rancorous choir of complaints erupted from the crew as the realization of what they were being ordered to do dawned on them. River stood in the back, appearing outwardly calm but internally coiled like a cobra ready to strike out at the first stray thought of anyone thinking to take command from Mal by force. River could sense the discontent rising rapidly in the crew until suddenly she detected a slight life sign from someone crawling out of the downed alliance ship.

Spotting River's quick glance over to the debris field Mal spotted the man and drew his pistol. At the sight of Mal drawing his weapon the entire crew fell silent.

Mal steadied his words, meeting the eyes of each of them as he spoke, "This is how it is, anyone who doesn't want to sail with me, this is your port of harbor." The briskly striding through them Mal walked up to get a closer shot at the Alliance solider. "There's plenty a fine ways to die, I ain't waiting for the alliance to choose mine!" Mal's shot rang out as if to emphases his last word, the bullet finding its target with surgical precision.

Turning back to face the crew Mal's expression turned lethal as he spoke his last words, "I aim to get to Miranda maybe find something to get clear of this, so if I hear a word out of any of you that ain't helping me out or taking your leave I will shot you down."

Glancing across each of them to make sure they had gotten the message Mal strode off back to the ship growling out one final command, "Get to work!"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wow, this one was really draining to write, I think I'm going to a few days to recoup after this. But don't worry I fully intend to see this though to the end!

I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been kind enough to offer me such encouraging words and insightful advice with this thus far, your input has only spurned me on to write more and I thank you all!!!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own none of this, property of Joss, Fox, and Universal

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Just tell me when we're close…" Mal barked out at Wash as he turned to leave the bridge. Serenity ascending to what everyone on board believed to be a suicide mission.

Zoe moved to place a reassuring hand on Wash's shoulder as he set course. Turning to watch the Captain leave.

Once Wash could no longer hear Mal's foot steps he looked up to his wife, "He's finally lost it you know, the stress of all this, it's finally gotten to him." Wash paused to gauge his wife's reaction, when he didn't receive an immediate rebuke he continued, "Not that I blame him after all, I'm not exactly going at full burn here myself."

"If he's crazy, we're all at least as crazy to follow him, maybe more." Zoe said, her usually even tone wavering slightly from fatigue both mental and physical.

"Why are we following him? I mean I've heard of crews mutinying for the captain not keeping the kitchen stocked with enough variety, and here we are buckling down and heading straight into Reaver land." Wash mused.

"Don't figure we'd even have made it off the ground were this crew that picky about our eats."

Both shared a subdued smile. Then Wash moved to the side and let Zoe slide into the seat next to him. Wrapping each other into a warm embrace the both stared off into the black wondering exactly when and how the end of the journey would come.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Simon sat on the couch outside of the infirmary. It was quite, too quite in fact. Left alone with his thoughts Simon's mind kept going back to the memory of having to help string up the bodies of the various settlers that now adorned their hull. The thought sicken him, violated every ethical code he could think of. But with the Captain's threat to shoot down any who questioned him what choice had he? Not to mention that the only other alternative that he could think of at the moment would have been to give River back over to the Alliance.

"No, No it can't be that cut and dry. There had to have been another way." Simon thought to himself. Sane people don't just go barreling into Reaver territory, especially with no guarantee that they'll be anything of worth on the other side. This wasn't a plan, this was just the Captain's over the top antics acting up again, except this time it was going to get them all killed.

Simon was so deep in thought that he hadn't heard Kaylee come down the stairs. She had hoped to find him in the infirmary, and at first she was glad to seem him sitting outside. It meant that she wouldn't be distracting him from any important work. But seeing him sitting there with such an intense look on his face she wondered if maybe coming down to see him was really the best idea right now. Before she could decide what to do next his eyes shifted from the floor and he saw her standing there. Greeting her with a half hearted smile he invited her to sit.

"How ya holding up? Kaylee said as she sat down next to him.

"I really don't know." Simon answered listlessly.

Kaylee shifted nervously for a moment trying to think of a topic of discussion and finally blurting out, "I'm surprised your not with River right now, you two are usually so inseparable."

Simon let out an exasperated sigh, "Not lately it would seem, haven't seen her in awhile. I tried to look for her but I couldn't find her anywhere, but the Captain assures me he saw her on board just after we lifted off so I'm at least confident that she's somewhere on this ship."

"She has been spending a good deal more time off on her own lately hasn't she, that's gotta be a sign she's improving right?"

"How so?" Simon questioned.

"Cause what regular girl her age wants to spend all her waking time with her brother?" Kaylee said with a slight grin on her face.

Inspire of himself Simon gave her a slight grin of his own, "There you go again, finding the bright side."

Kaylee's smile ebbed a little, "Don't know about that, having a hard time conjuring what the bright side of this situation…"

Simon place an arm on her shoulder, "I wouldn't fault yourself too bad for that, a lesser person wouldn't have even tried."

"I'm scared Simon, real scared. Never imagined I ever find myself in a situation like this," Kaylee dropped all pretense of small talk and as tears starred to well up in her eyes.

Simon reached out and pulled her close, setting her head on his shoulder, "I am too Kaylee, but no matter what comes at least we'll be here together."

Kaylee's crys lessened as she looked up at him, "Really, you mean that?"

Simon reassured her, "Yes I do."

Kaylee curled up at Simon's side as he gently put his arms around her. Both trying to process the bittersweet moment as they awaited the unknown.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jayne sat over his guns, cleaning them out again for what must have been the fifth time since take off. His hands working with a slight twitch as he fought back his nerves at the thought of being on a boat headed directly for Reaver space.

Jayne usually took great comfort and pride in cleaning his guns, it was his favorite pass time aside from actually using the weapons. But he found as he went on that it wasn't keeping him nearly as focused as he had hoped. His thoughts drifting off constantly to what fate awaited him at the hands of the Reavers.

Frustrated, Jayne tossed his latest project aside. Thinking for a moment, Jayne pressed his hands together started to speak, "I'm sorry Shepard, sorry I wasn't there with ya at the end. Sorry I didn't run fast enough to find the Doc for ya when you was lying there in the dirt. Sorry….."

Jayne took a deep breath and continued. "You'd probly tell me that it ok, that yur in a better place. Well I hope that's true, cause I'm gonna need some one to vouch for me once I get there myownself, which I figure is gonna be real soon."

Jayne took another moment to collect his thoughts, "Now you know I ain't never been good with words, so's I was hoping you could put in some good words for me with the big guy. Ask'em to make my end quick……and ask'em to look after Ma and Matty when I'm gone, since I ain't gonna be sending'em money no more."

With another heavy sigh Jayne stopped speaking and sat in the quiet of his bunk for a moment, listening. After some time had passed Jayne opened his eyes; he hadn't realized he had closed them. Though he couldn't explain it, he did feel vaguely better.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Inara sat in what had once been her shuttle. The room was much more sparse without her belongs and it felt a bit cold. Inara had been trying to meditate to calm herself as they made their approach to Miranda, but every time she tried her concentration was interrupted by thoughts of Mal.

Inara looked up occasionally to what she thought were sounds stirring outside her door. She waited expectantly for a moment hoping to see Mal with some transparent excuse to barge in. She had reprimanded him ever time he had done it in the past, but now she missed it bitterly.

His last words to her in the kitchen area kept ringing in her head over and over, "What ever there was between us, died on the catwalk, you killed it," they kept running through her mind like a chant. Some how the words managed to cut a little deeper every time. Inara knew it was foolish to assume that Mal would always be available to her, but his behavior recently suggested there was more going on then the cold ministrations of a jilted lover.

Inara had been so sure that Mal had a new love in his life, but from what Kaylee had told her he had been keeping to himself even more then usual since she left. It just didn't make any sense. His behavior had been so manic, one minute grinning like an idiot in the Kitchen area, and then practically breaking Jayne's jaw in the common area. Granted that had been a rather heated argument after what had been a very emotional time for everyone. But still, Inara had never seen Mal loose his cool so fast.

Come to think of it, she'd also never seen anyone ever calm him down so quickly either. River had been able to bring him back down almost as quickly as he had come up. She'd never seen anyone able to reach him like that when he was in one of those "This is my rutting ship!" moods. All she'd done is touch his shoulder and look at him. Inara had to hand it to her, she'd just spend the last few months trying to instruct girls older then River in the ways of a companion, but River already carried herself better then some guild certified companions she knew.

Still, Inara couldn't get that look that River had given Mal out of her head. There was such familiarity in it, up until now she had attributed the strangeness of the look to River's new found lucidity, but now…..

The thought struck Inara like a bolt of lightning. "No, it couldn't be! It just couldn't be!" Inara thought to herself. Thoughts started flooding back into her mind. The woman she had thought she had seen in Mal's bed, dark hair and light skin. The fact that River had been waiting for them when they returned from the training house. The look she had caught on River's face for the briefest moment when he came out of the shuttle behind her. Their closeness on the bridge as they landed on Haven. Mal holding her as she cried on their way back to Serenity after Book had died. She had thought he was just consoling her like he would Kaylee or even herself had they been crying like that. But looking back there was a much more tender demeanor about him as he held her. Then their was the whole episode in the common area with Jayne! It all made so much sense!

But no, that couldn't be right. She was so much younger the him, and Simon! Simon would never allow it. Unless….Unless he didn't know. Of course, Kaylee would have told her about the relationship as soon as she came back on board were it public knowledge.

But Inara still couldn't believe it. How could Mal take advantage of someone so young, and so emotionally fragile? And River? What would a girl her age see in a man like Mal? He was much too unrefined, so raw and….and….

Inara just couldn't believe it, just a string of coincidences, had to be. But the more she thought about it the more it made sense. Inara was very tempted to go and speak with Mal on this, but given his current mood she wasn't sure what his reaction would be if it turned out not true, or what it would be if she was right.

Trying again to regain control, Inara resumed her attempt to meditate. Whatever was going on here, this was not the time to make waves. There was already enough tension in the crew right now without dropping this bombshell. Inara resolved to remain quite until a more opportune time presented itself. Inara smiled a bit to herself as she pondered the ridiculousness of having to fight though an army of Reavers to have a conversation. Oh well, just one more reason to live.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mal finally reached his bunk and climbed down the ladder. When he finally got down to the bottom he found his room darkened with a single desk lamp on, just as it had been the first night he had allowed River to sleep there.

His eyes moving to the bed he saw her there, skin radiating with the same luminance it had that night, though she didn't appear nearly as tranquil. She was sitting up her legs drawn under her, and wrapped up in his old brown duster jacket. She was clinging to it like a security blanket. She looked up at him an expression of muted happiness.

Going over to sit next to her, he took up a spot next to her and pulled her into a hug. Her arms slipped out of the jacket and met him around the chest as she burred her face into his neck. After a long moment of silence she finally pulled away slightly to look up at him.

"Their afraid, all of them"

"I conjure they got a good reason to be, knowing where we're headed. Any thinking of staging a coup?" Mal said half jokingly.

"Not anymore…."

The honesty reply startled Mal, "Anymore? You mean they were?"

"Thought ran though all their minds at one point or another."

Mal shook his head for a moment, "Well I suppose I'd start to doubt their sanity if they didn't."

River continued, "They're all just trying to keep their mind of what's coming. Zoe and Wash are on the bridge together, kissing and….."

"We can just skip right past the rest of those details." Mal stuttered out.

River gave him a weak smile and continued. "Simon and Kaylee are down in the common area, that boob finally worked up the nerve to hug her."

"Hmmm, hugging huh. Don't know if I like where that's leading. Don't know if a trust him with my mei mei…" Mal said with a slight smirk.

"Oh really, well how do you think he'll take it when he finds out you've been kissing his mei mei?" River paused to give him one of those evil grins of hers, "And thinking about doing other things…."

Mal eyes went wide for a moment, "You….you….you needa stay out my mind, that just ain't fair….you wouldn't…..actually tell him about any of those thoughts would you?"

River rolled her eyes, "Oh come on, I don't talk about what I read from anyone unless it's something I think others have an absolute right to know. Besides if I told you half the thoughts running through Jayne's head at any given moment you'd have riddled him with holes by now."

Mal reflected for a moment, "S'pose that's probably a pretty wise policy….you'd tell me if Jayne was thinking of turn on me right?"

"Hmmm, I guess, but only if your really nice to me." River gave him another of her warm smiles.

They both shared a light chuckle and then River went on, "Inara's in her old shuttle, she's trying to meditate but….but she misses you too much."

Mal shifted uncomfortably for a minute, "Well we did exchange some pretty heated words a little while ago. But I just wanted to be clear with her."

River paused for a moment, unsure how to broche the next subject, "She knows….she knows about us…she just realized it."

Mal took a moment to run though all the implications of that, "Well, suppose someone was bound to find out sooner or later. Maybe its best we get it out in the open before the things start getting even more tense"

River look at him, determination in her voice, "No, we can't. They're not ready yet. If we tell them now all hell will break loose. Inara won't say anything yet because she worried about the other's reactions too. We can't tell them what's going on between us until this is all over."

Mal let out a deep sigh, "Alright River, if you think that's what's best I'll keep it quite for as long as I can, but I can't promise that'll be for very long."

River's expression softened, "I know Mal, you'll do what's best for your crew. When the time's right you'll know."

Mal drew River even closer to him, contentment and joy radiating from him like a star. River nuzzled her face deep into his chest and let the sound of he's heart beat console her as they sat in the stillness of the darkened room.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Passage though Reaver space had been mercifully uneventful. River had sensed the feeling of dread increase exponentially as they all gathered on the bridge to watch the fleet of Reaver ships slowly come into view. As the moments had ticked by they all held their thought's in a kind of suspended animation, no nervous to even think.

River had envied their minds' stillness as hers had been on fire with the pure unadulterated rage that had been pouring from the Reavers ships. If they had thoughts, River couldn't detect them under the ocean of madness that she couldn't even begin to process. The whole experience had left her feeling drained and even more worried about the crew. Because even though she couldn't pick up any specific thoughts from the Reavers, being that close to them had allowed her to glean enough knowledge to know that the Reavers and Miranda were very closely related in some way.

Finally landing on Miranda, the crew found entire cities perfectly intact. Looking as though they had just been completed yesterday. The atmospheric conditions were prefect, an ironic blue sky shined down a bright sunny day. But the streets were deserted, no a life sign to be had, and only a single faint signal transmitted from the surface to alert the crew to any activity going on at all.

As everyone disembarked tensions were running even higher then they had flying through the Reaver fleet. At least up there the crew knew exactly what was awaiting them. But down on Miranda, only more questions came to them as they explored the immaculate ghost town.

As they moved deeper into the town in search of a beacon they had detected on their approach, they began to find bodies of the deceased.

"Up head," Zoe called out as they approached the body of a man slumped over on a wall.

"No entry wounds…"Zoe stated as they examined the body.

"Hear's another one," Jayne called out as he spotted another body in a parked vehicle.

"He didn't crash or nothing, he's just sittin here."

Simon spotted another group of deceased people inside a building near by. Their bodies better preserved having been sealed in the room. As Simon examined what he could see he could find no logical cause of death immediately jump out at him. "No discoloration, nobody doubled over in pain."

"Well there's gasses that kill painless right?" Mal offered.

"What are they doing…what are they all doing?" Kaylee cried out as she observed the people inside the building.

"Their all just lying there." Inara added.

As the rest of crew pondered the odd appearance of the dead, who appeared to be sitting and in some cases laying down on the ground they suddenly heard River crying out behind them, "Stop! Make them stop!! Their all inside me, every room, every home, and there saying…..nothing….."

River collapsed to the ground sobbing. Simon rushed to her side but before he could reach her Mal appeared next to her and drew her up into his arms trying to console her. Simon gave Mal a sight look of confusion as finally reach her side. Mal continued to look down at River, partly out of concern, and partly out of a desperate desire to avoid Simon's gaze.

Oblivious to the scene, River continued, "Get up! Please Get up!...Oh God make me a stone…"

"She is starting to damage my calm." Jayne said as he approach the three of them.

"Jayne!" Mal shouted as he tore his gaze from River.

"She right!" Jayne barked back, "Everybody gone, the whole gorram planet's dead for no reason."

Silence descended upon the crew as they contemplated Jayne's words. Finally Wash spoke up, "Lets get to the beacon."

The crew finally arrived at the source of the beacon. It appeared to be a downed alliance research and rescue vessel. As they boarded they noted the ships battered condition, she would never fly again. Searching around for any information the ship might have, River came upon a hollow vid recording. Somewhere in her mind she could feel her subconscious screaming out, as if this recording could somehow finally connect all the severed memories in her mind, that it could explain what dark secret that this place held that she couldn't even articulate to herself. Without thinking, River slipped the disk into the computer and began to run the program.

A holographic recording of a women appeared in the middle of the room. Everyone turned their attention to her as she displaced some images of the corpses they had just seen. Then she began to speak.

"These are just a few of the images we've recorded and as you can see…it isn't what we thought…There's been no war here and no teraforming event, the environment is stable….its the Pax, G23 Paxolocene coriside that we added to air processors. It was supposed to calm the population and weed out aggression….Well it works, the people here stopped fighting. As pretty soon they stopped…everything else. The stopped matting, going to work, talking, eating…..There's 30 million people here and they all just let themselves die."

A loud crash came from somewhere outside the recording field and the women turned to look with a terrified look on her face, "I don't have much longer…about a tenth of a percent of the population has had the exact opposite reaction to the Pax, their aggressor response has increased beyond madness, and well…they've killed most of us…and not just killed….they've done things…."

"Reavers…" Wash mumbled out as he watched in amazement, "They made them…"

The hologram continued, "I won't live to report this but people have to know….we meant it for the best….Oh God!"

The crew continued to watch in horror as the women drew a pistol and fired off a few rounds in the direction disturbance off to her right before frantically trying to turn the gun on herself, only to have the firearm wrestled away from her by a Reaver that suddenly fell upon her. As the monster took her to the ground the crew turned away to the sound of the women's panicked screems.

Jayne finally mumbled out, "Turn it off…"

Someone reached over and removed the disk from the player as the rest either erupted in tears or stared on in utter disbelief at what they had just seen. Mal walked out of the room, an urgent need to clear his head pulling him outside.

River felt an intense feeling confusion come upon her, she started to feel very dizzy as her mind raced. The holovid's information wildly flowing though mind connecting disjointed visions and reordering memories. More images and thoughts exploded into her consciousness as she tried to process it all. River felt as though her head might explode, like she was starting to loose her grip on reality more then she ever had before. She desperately tried to stumble out after Mal, terrified that she might loose herself to the chaos of her mind. But stumbling to the ground after disembarking the ship she trembled with a grate heave and threw up the entire contents of her stomach.

Mal turned quickly at the sound of her falling behind him and rushed to River. Pulling her into his arms before she fell completely to the ground she blacked out for a moment as he held her. But before Mal could call Simon over she suddenly awoke again. Binking her eyes together for a minute she surveyed her surroundings as if seeing them with new eyes. Finally her eyes met Mal and she gave him a slight smile.

"I'm alright…" She paused for a moment, a look of sudden realization spreading across her face, "I'm alright! I…I…can see so much more, remember so much more I…"

Mal interrupted her, still concerned. "Are you sure, you passed out for a second there."

River looked back at him, "I am, the holo vid must have…filled in some gaps and blocks in my mind. Oh Mal, I can remember so much more about my past now, all my childhood memories are coming back and….and….I seem to be able to read so much more now…"

Mal paused for a moment to ponder what the implications of that might be. Hearing the others coming down the ramp Mal gentling slid River back onto her own two feet. As they came out of the ship Mal motioned them over as he headed back to Serenity.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The walk back to Serenity had been a quite one. No one spoke as they tried to wrap their minds around what they had just seen. All their minds were a buzz with what it could mean.

River moved with a renewed clarity, her mind raced not only with thought about what the information could mean, but also with a the new sensations she was absorbing from the others. After she and Mal had their moment in the Maidenhead, River's mind had finally broken free from the dark void her consciousness had been adrift in ever since the Academy. But even still, her senses were still dulled, her mind not nearly as sharp as it had once been. It was as if there were still a cloud of fog surrounding her, Mal being the only thing that was getting through clearly.

But now she could feel her mind's old edge coming back, her senses heightened as the fog cleared, and her reading abilities functioning on a level they never had before. She wasn't just feeling raw emotions and then thoughts at the forefront of everyone's conscious mind. She could hear their subconscious, their memories, and more.

Once they got back to the ship, everyone split off and did some thinking. Mal was on the bridge again pondering what his next step would be pacing back and forth he finally came to a decision. About to walk over to the comm to call River to bridge he turned to see her already standing in the door way. She gave him a sweet smile.

"Heard you,"

"Ahh, yeah, s'pouse you would." Mal said.

"They're ready, they know how important it is to get the word out about what happened here." River answered to a question he had yet to ask.

"You…you're gonna need to slow down their darlin, your about five steps ahead of me in this conversation."

River gave him a sheepish grin, "Sorry, my abilities seem to have been enhanced now that everything in my mind is falling back into place. Guess I'm still not used to it yet."

Mal gave her a smile of his own, "Well, glad to hear your doing even better."

Mal expression then became slightly more serious, "But I was going to ask you if you think the crew will actually go along with this plan I've got. A plan that I'm sure you already know."

River nodded, "I do, it's a crazy plan, but hopeful one. I might succeed. As for the others well, I can tell from what their all thinking that they know something has to be done, even Jayne. I can't say for sure if they'll like your plan, but I know they won't mutiny for suggesting it."

Mal shook his head, "That's all I need to hear."

Calling everyone to kitchen area, Mal prepared to lay out his plan. He stood at the head of the table with the rest of the crew gathered around him, sunlight pouring in through the windows above like some grand cathedral. Gathering up his courage, Mal began to speak.

"This report is about 12 years old. Parliament buried it, and it stayed buried until River dug it up. This is what they feared she knew, and they were right to fear. Somebody has to speak for these people. Sure as I know anything I know this, they will try again. Maybe someplace else, maybe this very ground swept clean, A year from now, or maybe 10, but soon or later they'll swing back to the idea that they can make people…..better."

Mal turn to look at River for a long moment after his last remark, she returned his gaze and gave him a subtle, encouraging look. Mal took heart from her and continued, "I simply do not hold to that. So no more running, I aim to misbehave."

Mal held his breath for a moment, waiting to hear the crew's response. After a long swig from his bottle of whisky, Jayne spoke up, "Shepard Book used to tell me, if you can't do something smart, do something right."

Jayne passed the bottle across the table to Simon, who looked up to Mal and asked, "Do we have a plan?" followed by a long swig of his own of the alcoholic concoction.

Mal looked back, a little surprised to see Simon drinking, "Mr. Universe. We haven't the equipment to broadwave this but he can put it on every screen for 30 worlds, pretty close too."

We've still got the Reavers and probably the Alliance to get though first." Wash interjected.

"That's two armies against our one bitty canon," Jayne added.

Zoe decided to weigh in as well, "It a good bet the Alliance knows about Mr. Universe, they're gonna see this coming."

Mal looked back at the crew, "No, they're not gonna see this coming."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Closing in on the end! This was supposed to be the final chapter, but as I quickly discovered this was going to take a lot more the one chapter to end. This is good news to any who are following the story though, because I already have a good portion of the next chapter complete! I should be posting it very soon.

Feedback for this chapter in particular would be very appreciated. I had a difficult time balancing between trying to stay as true as possible to the original story while simultaneously coming up with original ideas to keep it interesting. Not that the original plot wasn't interesting of course, but I'm sure you've all seen the movie a dozen times already.

I plan to write a final concluding chapter and then an epilogue so stay tuned!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own none of this, property of Joss, Fox, and Universal

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Serenities engines roared to life as she left Miranda. As the ship approached the Reaver fleet for the second time Wash slowly eased her through, not wanting to tip their hand too soon. He intentionally passed too close to one of the Reaver ships as they neared the end of the grouping. Just as they had hoped it slowly began to trail them it's ravenous crew beginning to sense that their was something amiss about Serenity. Getting clear of the field Wash shouted into the radio, "NOW!"

Spinning the cannon as fast as he could Mal turned the cannon on the ship perusing them and fired off five shells directly into the heart of the frame. Watching as the other ship burst into flames Mal quickly scrambled back into the Serenity. Safely inside he radioed wash to go for hard burn. And as Serenity's engines flung the ship forward several Reaver ships woke up and gave chase, the rest of the fleet following close behind.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Operative stood on the bridge of his destroyer, confidently awaiting the arrival of Serenity as he orbited Mr. Universe's planet from behind the ion cloud that surrounded it. He had intercepted a transmission from Serenity as he held Mr. Universe hostage. The parliament had ordered him to track down anyone Mal and the others might know who could broadwave a signal to multiple worlds.

Putting aside how strange criteria had been, the Operative decided to research all their contacts for someone who might be able to provide that kind of service. He was in luck to discover that of all of Mal's known associates a man called Mr. Universe was an obvious choice. This "Mr. Universe," fancied himself some kind of electronic freedom fighter. The Operative had no problem eliminating such a dissent, still the oddness of the Parliament's request was something he just couldn't shake, what kind of a message could this tiny crew possibility posses that posed that much of a threat? Still he was accustom to following their bizarre directives and it wasn't truly his purpose to understand.

Returning his attention to the task at hand he heard one of the bridge crew call out a ship signature coming through the cloud. Peering through the windows on the observation deck on his capital ship a contented smile spread across his face as he recognized the rouge vessel as his quarry; Serenity.

"You should have let me see her Captain, we should have done this like men, not with fire." He mused aloud to no one in particular.

"Vessel in range, lock all weapons."

The huge alliance fleet assembled around Mr. Universe's planet fell into formation, weapons trained on the minuscule transport barreling towards them.

Watching the scene unfold exactly to plan before him the Operative pondered how he would word the victorious report of Serenity's demise. "Bastards not even changing course," observed out loud.

Then, just as the sensor locks on Serenity went hot, an armada of Reaver ships burst though the ion cloud in hot pursuit. The Operative looked on in horror as the monstrous ships reoriented themselves at the sight of new prey; the Alliance ships.

Fighting to regain control of his thoughts the Operative blurted out,"…Target the Reavers…Target everything….SOMEBODY FIRE!!"

Wash maneuvered Serenity through the first volley of missiles the Alliance warships launched at the enemy fleet perusing them. Mal watched in slight satisfaction as the Alliance ships scrambled to move into a defensive position, "Ha! I've got the air support this time you arrogant cods!" He thought to himself.

Wash's piloting was more then just good, it was an art form. Mal watched in complete awe as he sailed though enemy ships and missiles, adeptly skimming over ship after ship, sending projectiles targeting Serenity flying into other friendly vessels. Seeming to emphasis the artful piloting Wash kept repeating a strange mantra to himself as chaos rained outside.

"I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar."

So saying, Wash plunged the ship into a suicidal dive just moment before colliding with a Reaver capital ship, causing several perusing Reaver ships to collide with the larger vessel. Zoe too was almost breathless as she watched her husband bring Serenity with in a hair's breath of another volley of incoming missiles. Though that time he wasn't able to bring the ship away quite fast enough, The blast wave of missiles upending the back of the ship as they impacted with several alliance ships behind them that hadn't been so quick to react.

The sudden jerk caused the whole vessel to shudder. So much so that Mal nearly fell over.

"Whoa!" he shouted as he shot a look at Wash.

"It's ok….I'm a leaf on the wind!"

"What does that mean?"

Serenity shook as she hit atmo her atmospheric engines roaring with the new strain of fighting the effects of the planetary gravity. Suddenly the sensor panel next to Zoe screamed to life with the detection of a new enemy in hot pursuit.

"We're not alone!" She yelled out over the roar of the engines.

The Reaver vessel closed quickly, firing out an EMP blast as soon as it was in range. The blast hit one of Serenity's atmospheric engines with a dreadful thud as the ship's whole electrical system was knocked out in an instant.

"EMP!!" Mal barked out as he strapped himself into the co pilot seat.

"EVERYONE STRAP YOURSELF IN!!!"

Turning to Jayne, he ordered him to go secure the others. Jayne tore off toward the kitchen area to ensure everyone else had been able to secure their belts. But before he could secure himself the ship was sent into a wicked spiral, sending Jayne flying across the kitchen area and impacting a wall head first on the other side.

Meanwhile everyone struggled to maintain consciousness as the ships centrifugal velocity increase exponentially. Wash struggled against immense G-forces as he fought to regain control. Finally able to reinitialize the ship's back up he was able to wrestle Serenity out of her death spiral. Unfortunately she was already too low to the ground for the engines to slow the ship to low enough velocity for its standard vertical landing.

"I'm going to have to glide her in!" he called out.

"Will that work!?" Mal shot back.

All eyes on the bridge watched as the runway for Mr. Universe's complex came into view at an alarming rate.

Meanwhile back in the Kitchen area the rest of crew was calling out to Jayne as the ship leveled out, pleading with him to get up before something else happened. Jayne groaned as he tried to lift himself up. It was at that moment River received a terrible vision of the immediate future.

"Oh God! WASH!!!" She streaked out as she scrambled to unbuckle her restrains.

The rest of the crew tried to calm her down but she brushed them aside. Rising quickly from her seat, River raced off to the bridge, ripping a huge butcher knife from the counter and kicking Jayne back toward the others, sending him sliding back towards her old seat.

The ship rocked back and forth as River moved desperately forward, being tossed back and forth as she went. As Serenity skidded into landing area the entire left engine was torn from the side of the ship as it hit the side of the entrance to the main hanger. The impact sent River spiraling out of control, slamming her into the bulkhead right outside the cockpit. River struggled to pull herself up as the rest of the ship finally came to a screeching halt.

Everyone on the bridge struggled to regain their composure as the red emergency lights flickered on. Wash turned to Mal a smug look on his face.

"I am a leaf on…"

"River! What in the name of…." Mal interrupted as he spotted her lunging forward at Wash with the huge knife.

Before Mal or Zoe could intercept her she sliced though Wash's restraints and threw him to the ground with such force that she knocked herself down in the process. Just as they were in mid fall a massive javelin slammed into the cockpit, gashing River's right arm and piercing straight threw the plot's chair that Wash had been sitting in only a split second earlier.

River yelped with pain as blood gushed forth from her arm. Zoe met them on the ground.

"Baby! Baby are you alright!" She yelled in a panic.

"Its alright….I'm…I'm fine…" Wash said as Zoe pulled him off the ground. The coupled stared in wonder at River who was now in Mal's arms as he ripped a large portion of his shirt off to create a tourniquet for River's arm. Once he secured the wound he started to pull River up.

"Looks like those newly enhanced abilities of your are com…"

Mal was unable to finish as River jumped up quickly and threw them both back to the ground, just as another javelin penetrated the cockpit right where Mal had been standing. Shooting River another appreciated look, Mal glanced over to where Zoe and Wash were, still huddled on the ground. "Let's get the hell outta here!"

The crew scrambled down the ramp as the hanger started to fill with Reaver ships, hurrying quickly inside the complex. After a short sprint the reached the elevator to the main area. Hitting the button Mal turned back to assess the situation.

"Jayne rear guard!"

"Zoe, whata we got?"

"This is a good hold point Sir," Zoe said, still a bit shaky after witnessing her husband nearly impaled by a giant spear.

"No, we stick together!" Mal objected.

"No, we have to draw them till it done sir. And look, if we get pushed back those are blast doors." Zoe said motioning over to the large doors that closed off the hall in front of the elevator.

"I can rig'em so they won't open after we close them." Kaylee offered.

"Then you get behind them and seal it till I get back." Mal protested.

"No sir, this is the place, we'll buy you the time." Zoe stated resolutely.

After a long pause, Mal nodded in agreement.

Jayne started to bellow out commands as he began to prep the room, "Let's get these crates lined up near the blast door fer some cover, make sure they ain't filled with anything that goes boom!"

As if on que the Reavers began to enter the complex, their shrieks filling the entire crew with an incredible sense of dread. After another long pause, Jayne finally spoke up, "MOVE THE GORRAM CRATES!!!"

After positioning a good barricade of crates in front of the blast doors, Mal turned to Jayne, "Tell me you brought the grenades this time?"

Jayne shot Mal confident glance and pulled two canisters out of his satchel. Pulling the pins both men hurled the explosives out into the immediate hallway and closed the big steel door separating the rooms. The Reavers let out another loud scream as severally of them were instantly incinerated. Mal and Jayne then spotted a larger crate and pushed it against the door.

Taking one last look at each of his crew Mal started down the hallway, struggling not to rush up to River and pull her into one last kiss. As she watched him disappear down the hallway, River abandoned all concept of concealment and rushed down the hallway after him.

Mal heard her foot steps down the hall as he waited for the elevator.

"Thought we were gonna keep this quite." Mal said in a half hearted attempt to keep her at bay.

"There all too scared to notice right now….Mal let me come with you, your going to face terrible danger up there I just know it."

"Like javilin through the chest danger?" Mal asked with a sense of dread.

River shook her head, "I don't know…the…the…Reavers are too close, their all screaming in my head, my visions aren't clear…."

Mal could see the panic in her eyes, so much like what was running though him at that moment as well. Mal breathed deep to steady himself. Reaching out to her he pulled her into a deep embrace. River all too willingly dove for him at the first instant of his hands reaching out to her and reaching up to him almost on instinct she drew him into a long, passionate kiss.

After a few painfully short moments passed they each drew back, still amazed at how the other's kiss could still leave them so breathless even at a time like this. After taking another few precious moments to etch the image of her into his mind for what he suspected might be his last opportunity, Mal took her face into his hand, gently brushing her hair aside.

Her eyes locked with his as he spoke, "Darlin, whatever is waiting for me up there, its something I gotta do alone, I can't risk the lives of my crew anymore then I have already. River, I need you to watch over my crew for me….they're all that matters now….more important to me then even Serenity herself. You're their best shot at surviving this, and if I can't make it back I need to know that you'll be here to watch out for them."

Tears started to streak down Rivers face as she nodded in solemn agreement. "I will, I swear, as long as I draw breath…"

Pulling her into one last hug, Mal reluctantly pulled away as the elevator arrived. As he closed the gate in front of him River reached her hand out and pressed her hand against the grating, Mal quickly meeting her hand on the other side. As the gears of the elevator began to creek into motion River met Mal's gaze one final time.

"I love you." She whispered out breathlessly.

"And I love you." Mal mouthed out silently as the elevator started to rise, each holding their hand to the grating until the very last possible moment.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

River reappeared from the hall a moment later. Just as she had thought, the others had been too busy focusing their attention on the sound of the Reavers just outside the door to notice her momentary absence, all but Inara anyway. As River had got up and gone after Mal, Inara had watched her leave, and seeing her now reemerging from the tunnel, the young women's body language told her all she need to know.

As Inara continued to observe her, River's gaze suddenly looked up to meet hers. A mix of sadness and determination swimming in her big brown eyes. Inara was struck by the look instantly, her eyes so eerily similar to Mal's that it fascinated and terrified Inara at the same time.

Finally turning way River grabbed one of Jayne's larger hand guns and a fistful of clips. She then proceeded to hunker down on the other end of the barricade near where Kaylee and Simon were. Just as River got into position she heard the first thud as the Reavers began to slam into the door that Mal and Jayne had pushed shut with the large crate.

"Jayne, Wash, and I are the first wave, nobody shoots unless they get past us!" Zoe called out.

Kaylee's determination wavered as she unsteadily held the carbine hand gun that Zoe had given her. "I…I didn't plan on going out like this. I mean, I think we did right but…"

Simon turned to her, "I never planned….anything. I just wanted to keep River safe. I spent so much time on Serenity ignoring anything that I wanted for myself…"

Simon took in a deep breath as he prepared to say his next sentence, "My one regret in all of this is never being with you."

Kaylee turned slowly to look back at him, "With me? You mean to say as….Sex?"

Simon smiled back at her, "I mean to say…a lot of things…"

"The hell with this! I'm gonna live!" Kaylee said with renewed vigor.

River turned a rueful eye to the couple, "Ahhh, I know that might be encouraging to HER Simon, but your SISTER would appreciated a little less dialog like that!"

Simon turned slightly red as they shared one last brother/sister moment. Then with a loud crash the Reavers started to claw their way threw the door. Upon sighting the first demon approach, Zoe fired off the first round.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mal stood poised over the generator of the complex, trying to comprehend how he was going to reach Mr. Universe's backup broadwave equipment. When Mal had reached the main level he had found Mr. Universe's equipment destroyed and the man himself lying dead in the arms of his love bot.

Just as Mal was about turn and leave the bot came back online and started to relate a message that Mr. Universe must have been able to get it to record before he died, telling him the location of the back up unit. Just as Mal was about to attempt to jump to some rungs overhead he was shot in the back by a plasma blast that caused him to lose balance and fall backwards back onto the grated floor. Pulling himself back up quickly Mal turned to face the steely emotionless expression of the Operative. He had somehow managed to get to an escape pod just as his capital ship collided with a Reaver ship and made it back to the complex, even stumbling across the same message from Mr. Universe's love bot as he made his way through the complex.

"You shot me! Shot me in the back!...I haven't made you angry have I?"

"There are a lot of innocent people dying in the air right now." The Operative said coldly.

"You have no idea how true that is," Mal shot back.

"I know the secret, the one the burned up River Tam's brain." He continued.

"And the rest of the Verse is gonna know it too, cause they need to."

"Do you really believe that?" The Operative questioned as if it was an article of faith.

"I do," Mal replied, equally as religiously.

"Are you ready to die for that belief?" the Operative pressed.

"I am," Mal replied reverently.

Then he quickly drew his gun, firing off three rounds before the Operative cold find adequate cover. Once he did, Mal quickly turned back and lunged onto the rungs desperately trying to giant significant lead as he heard the Operative approach behind him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Reavers continued to press into the small room. Zoe, Jayne, and Wash had done a relatively good job at keeping them at bay for the moment, but River could tell that the crate holding the door back was going to give at any moment, and once it did the Reavers would overrun them.

River did her best to clean up what first wave missed, as she was an infinitely better shot then Simon, Kaylee, or Inara. But she was unable to focus completely, the Reaver's chaotic minds invading her mind much like they were invading the room. As more Reavers entered she could feel her grip on reality slip as the chaos grew louder.

Momentarily distracted by the pain in her head, River missed one of the Reavers as it approached crashing though the barricade and going directly for Inara. As Inara fell backward Zoe jumped up and bashed the monster in the head with the butt of her gun. River struggle to regain control as she fired of several more rounds, dropping a couple more Reavers where they stood. But she was unable to lay down enough suppressing fire to keep another Reaver from breaking the barricade and coming up behind Zoe and slicing through her back with a jagged blade.

As Zoe fell to the ground Wash charged the Reaver head on, knocking the beast to the ground. Filled with rage, Wash grabbed the creature by the throat and slammed it's head into the ground with a enough force to snap it's neck instantly. Rushing back over to his fallen wife, he helped Simon by sifting though his med kit to find the paste to seal the wound.

Meanwhile, Jayne continued to fire into the crowd of Reavers that now filled the room. Try as he might, he just couldn't put enough bullets into the group to keep them back. As Jayne reached down to grab another gun, several bullets ripped through his right arm and sholder, sending him spinning to the ground.

Before Simon could get to Jayne yet another Reaver crashed the barricade and lunged at him. Acting quickly Simon plunged his revolver into the demon's stomach and fired off four rounds, causing it to fall on him with a limp thud. Just as Simon shoved the carcass back over the barricade, several poison darts zipped past his face and stuck into Kaylee's chest and neck.

"KAYLEE!" Simon yelled out as he caught her before she could hit the floor. Wash Tried to run over to Simon to help him with his med kit again, but was caught in leg with by a random gun shot that sent him stright into the ground, falling over the barricade. Zoe cried out for him as she lunged over the barricade despite her condition. Just as the both of them were about to be enclosed by a circle of attackers, Inara fired of a bolt from her bolt caster that flew clean through the chest of four of the Reavers, dropping them instantly. Inara reached out to help Zoe pull Wash back over the barricade as River regained enough composure to cover their effort. Holding her unconscious husband in her arms Zoe made quick assessment of their situation. Unwilling to try to repel another Reaver attack on the barricade Zoe called for a retreat.

"FALL BACK, EVERYBODY FALL BACK!!!"

Inara pulled Wash and Simon carried Kaylee. Jayne reached up and pulled the blast door controls as he, Zoe, and River fired randomly into the mob of Reavers trying to cover the rest of the crew's retreat.

Gathering up the injured on containers in the hall, the crew's hearts sank as they heard the blast doors come to screeching halt leaving a 2' by 2' hole in the door. Zoe sighed as she looked to Jayne, "Got any grenades left?"

Jayne looked back at her dubiously, "My very last one." As he tossed the last explosive into the room beyond. With another loud shriek the hall feel temporarily silent.

Zoe fell with a loud thud next to Jayne. "They're going to get though," she said resolutely. Glancing back at her husband who still lay motionless and breathing heavily on the crate next to her, Zoe tried to steady herself.

"How much ammo do we have left?"

"Bout 40 rounds, and my swing cod." Jayne answered gruffly.

"We they come though, try to flood the hole with it." Zoe said, trying to focus on her duty to distract her from Wash's condition.

At the other end of the hall, Simon was attending to Kaylee.

"I…I'm starting to loose some feeling here." Kaylee whispered drowsily as the drugs began to take effect.

"Lie still, I'm going to give you some….my bag…" Simon realized he had left his med kit on the other side of the blast doors. He began to stand up to see if he could spot it on the other side when suddenly a shot rang out and broke the silence of the hall.

A bullet slammed into Simon's abdomen, causing him to reel backwards into the ground. River gasped with horror as her brother fell to the ground with a loud crash, blood pouring from his mid section. Inara rushed over to Simon and tried desperately to slow the bleeding, pressing her hands to the wound.

"I….I…need a….shot of adrenaline…and…a shot of calavarve for Kaylee….." Simon said weakly.

"Ri….River…"

"I'm here." River replied, rushing to her brother's side taking his hand into hers.

"River I'm…sorry…."

"Nooo…" River said, trying to console him.

"I….I hate to leave…."Simon said, beginning to grow faint from blood loss.

River looked down at him as a single tear streaked down her face, "You won't. You take care of me Simon….You've always taken care of me…."

River's expression turned dark as her senses suddenly focused like a laser. Inside her mind River turned and reached back into the darkness, into the chaos that had once engulfed her, and there deep in the anarchy she found….the weapon….

Giving her brother one last smile River stood up, deadly intent in her eyes, "My turn."

River turned and barreled down the hall as the others watched in confused awe. Spotting a new group of Reavers who had gathered outside the blast doors, River dove though the hole and into a roll on the other side, carrying the momentum of the motion into a punch she landed into chest of the lead Reaver, sending it flying into the group behind. Two Reavers who had been standing on either side of the lead one moved in to attack her. River caught the axe handle of the Reaver on her right as he tried to bring the head down on her. She then landed a crushing blow on the monster's knee sending it plummeting to the ground. Ripping the weapon out of its hands as the beast fell, River then spun around with the axe in hand and imbedded it into the neck of the Reaver coming up on her left. Sending it to the ground in large heap.

Taking advantage the momentary opening her attacks had caused, River rushed over to the blast door controls and finished the closing sequence. Then spotting Simon's med kit on the ground next to her, she flung the bag though the closing doors as several more Reaver's came up from behind her and dragged her away from the door.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mal finally dragged himself up to the holo vid reader, beaten and bruised from his on going struggle with the Operative. There wasn't a portion of him that wasn't crying out in agony, especially the side where the Operative's sword had run straight though him. In one last desperate gambit, Mal tried to load up the holo record before the Operative recuperated for their most recent exchange. Unfortunately the Operative had different plans.

Sneaking up on Mal's side stealthily, the Operative stabbed his fingers into a sensitive nerve bundle on Mal's side. Mal tensed up as he felt the impact, waiting for some shooting pain to course though his body, surprised when it didn't come.

The Operative stepped forward in front of Mal, apparently oblivious to the ineffectiveness of his attack. It was at this point that Mal realized that the Operative believed he was paralyzed. Mal stood motionless, trying to think of a way to turn this to his advantage.

The Operative meandered over to his sword. Picking it up slowly he began to speak, "There's no shame in this, for a man who has done fine works, but your fighting a war you've already lost."

Suddenly Mal saw his opportunity as the Operative lined up his sword on Mal's heart. Timing his lunge just right Mal was able to deflect the blade a moment before it pieced him, catching a stunned Operative in the throat with his elbow.

The Operative staggered back, unable to breath from the force of the blow. Mal moved up to him and grabbed him by the shoulders, taking one last look at the stunned man, "Yeah well I'm known for that."

Then with a quick pull, he pulled the man down into a crippling blow that causes both his shoulder blades to crack; both his arms going limp at his sides. Mal plopted the man down a the other end of the platform in front of one of the broadwave screens. Mal then turned back toward where he had been standing to retrieve the Operative's sword.

"Piece a shrapnel tore up that never cluster on my first tour, I had it moved." Mal said dryly with his back still turned.

"Sorry bout the throat. Bet you'll be wanting to say them famous last words a yours. Just one problem, I ain't gonna kill ya."

Mal then turned and slid the sword back into it's sheath on the Operative's back, pinning him to the railing behind him.

"Hell, I'm gonna show you your greatest wish, I'm gonna show you a world without sin."

Mal, turned and placed the Miranda recording into the reader, and pressed send all. Causing the recording to begin to play on all visible screens. The Operative watched intently as Mal fumbled with a bridge control mechanism, causing a connection from the platform to the hall at the opening of the generator room to rise up, and as the Operative continued to watch from his paralyzed position, Mal limped back up to his crew.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Stepping off the lift Mal saw his battered crew. Zoe called up from her position at Wash's side, "Sir?"

Mal answered back, "Its done."

Mal scanned the faces, panic rising from his gut. "Report?"

Zoe turned away slightly, and the rest of the crew remained silent, Mal felt that his heart may explode as he continued to search for her, finally willing himself to cough out, "River?" with a look of torment on his face and desperate quality to his voice.

Before Zoe could break the news to him, the blast doors behind them rumbled back to life. As they receded back into the wall the revealed a sight that left them all dumb struck. Standing amid a mountain of Reaver corpses, her dress soaked in blood and weapons dripping with the same stood River, alone, alive, and unscathed.

Despite his extensive injuries, Mal was about to break into a run toward her when the wall behind her collapsed causing a flood of light and Alliance soldiers to pour in.

River stood, her back to them as they began to shout out commands.

"Down! Everybody Down NOW! DROP HE WEAPONS!"

River could sense their apprehension, they had just waded though a sea of Reavers, many of their friends and comrades had been butchered right before them. They were unsure of themselves, battle fatigued. She could use that to her advantage. Though she had no illusions about victory, they had cleared out all the Reavers on the ground, even if she managed to eliminate this group, reinforcements would be on the way and she was already tired from chopping up the Reavers.

But she would not be taken. Capture by the Alliance meant a one way ticket back to the academy, she would die before she ever went back there again. She would make them kill her, no matter what orders they might receive from their superiors.

River turned back to Mal, who stubbornly stood his ground despite his massive injuries. She wished he would lay down with the others, take some cover behind the slight curve of the hall like the others. Of course she realized he could read the hopelessness of the situation as well as she could. He knew this was the end and he wanted to stand with her just as he had said he would. His fidelity, even to this point warmed her heart. She wished with every fiber of her being that she could run to him, comfort him, be with him in this their final moments.

But it wasn't their way, she and Mal. They were fighters, standing their ground until the end, no other fate would be fitting for them. She turned back from her assessment of the Alliance soldiers to give Mal one last affectionate glance. He caught her glance and nodded imperceptivity as he stared down the soldiers behind her.

She stood, her back still to the soldiers, reaching out with her mind to read the soldiers again. They were still terrified, especially of her. She looked like a Reaver covered in all that blood and wielding that sword and axe. But they could tell by her deceptively calm demeanor that she was something else, something worse. She sense that several of the men had guns trained on Mal, they would die first. Hopefully that would distract the other soldiers attention away from Mal and the others so they could….live for a moment longer…

"DO WE HAVE A KILL ORDER!"

One of the soldiers yelled into a comm unit. River reached out to find the mind of the Operative, right where Mal had left him. Confusion and realization swirled in him like a perfect storm. He must have watched the holo vid from Miranda. His disturbance was almost enough for River to hold out some hope that he might try something bold, but she knew such hope was pointless.

"DO WE HAVE AN ORDER!" The soldier called out again.

River's mind locked on the Operative, the moment he made up his mind she would have an axe imbedded in the nearest soldier's neck. She planned to drop three more before he could even speak out the command. But when she finally sensed his decision it stunned her so much that she was almost frozen in place for a moment, not even moving after he had verbalized his command.

"Stand down….Its finished…..we're finished…." He coughed out over the radio.

A wave of relief flowed over the soldiers and they lowered their weapons, having absolutely no stomach left in them for another fight.

Shaking herself out of her daze River dropped her weapons and rushed over to Mal's side. Mal himself had already started to limp over to her as fast has his battered legs could carry him. The both met at the opening of the hall, pulling each other into a tight embrace, Mal used every last ounce of his strength to pull her into himself, tears escaping his eyes as he lost himself in her big brown eyes.

Then without a moment's hesitation, they drew eachother into a deep kiss for what seemed like an eternity. Zoe and Jayne's eyes almost popped out of their heads as they stared at the scene in utter disbelief. Even Inara was thrown for a loop as she witnessed the intensity behind the kiss, like nothing she had ever seen.

Finally, drawing back Mal took in a deep breath as he looked back at her, "We did it River, we got the word out. And you, you kept your word you kept my crew safe."

River moved her hand up to his cheek, brushing her hand across his battered face gently, "Not done yet,"

Just as she spoke Mal felt his legs start to give out under him. River caught him as he started to loose his balance, his body exhausted beyond all measure by his injuries. Looking up at River as she cradled his head in her arms he tried to say something but she softly placed her finger to his lips.

"Shhhh, It's alright bao bei, They'll be here when you wake up, I promise." River sent him as many warm and loving emotions as she could muster to put him at ease. The giving her one last content smile, Mal drifted off.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alright! There you go, you guys get a two fer today! Hope you liked the story. Don't worry, I'll be posting an epilogue to this some time later this week.

Also, I hope I've been able to arouse enough interest in this story that you'll stay with me for some additional stories in the future. I had originally used this concept as a brainstorming technique to help me get some ideas for stories after the movie, but it flowed so easily that I decided to start right in the movie. Anyway, just know that the epilogue won't be the end of the story!

Stay tuned for more!


	7. Chapter 7

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Operative swallowed hard once more as he left the lift and entered the hall where the crew of Serenity still lay. He could see that most of them had been laid out on crates. There only appeared to be three of them left who were even conscious. Approaching the group he could see that Both the Captain and his first mate were both out of commission, undoubtedly succumbing to their injuries and slipping into comas. With both of them out, the Operative wondered who he could deal with as far as a leader.

"Who's in charge here?" The Operative got out, his voice still raspy from Mal's shot to his throat.

Jayne looked like he might try to volunteer but then out of the corner of his eye the Operative spotted a young women rise from the side of the Captain.

"I am," River said in a calm but forceful manner, quickly silencing any intent Jayne might have had.

The Operative sized her up, she was just a small slip of a girl, but her dress was covered in blood, Reaver blood from what his men told him. River had an equally evaluative expression on her face as she examined this Parliamentary assassin, wondering if his sudden turnabout with the order to let them go could be parleyed into some possible medical assistance.

River was somewhat surprised as she sensed a wave of guilt come over the man as he gazed over the rest of the crew. His remorse became particularly intense when his eyes fell to Mal. She was almost overjoyed as she read the next thoughts coming into the Operative's mind.

"Get our medics down here immediately, these people are to be given VIP medical assistance!" the Operative said in the most forceful voice he could manage.

"Sir?" One of the lieutenants next to him said.

"Don't question my orders lieutenant!" the Operative barked out.

"Right away!" the young officer responded, tearing off down the hallway shouting out commands to other men as he went.

River was still a bit suspicious even as medics arrived. Even if the Operative had a change of heart, some under his command still viewed the crew as enemies. The Operative could detect her misgivings and tried to put her at ease.

"Some of the men are still resentful, but I assure you the medical staff will do their job. They are trained to push aside personal feelings about a patient."

"I know, but I'm still a bit concerned." River responded.

"Don't worry Ms. Tam, you'll be given complete access to your crew I'll see to it your not hindered in away, any major procedures or movement of any of the crew will not be permitted without your expressed consent. I'll also make sure that their all kept a near to each other as possible, and allow them to return to Serenity as soon as their healed."

"Serenity?" River questioned, remembering the ships battered condition, and still a little numb from the whole experience to pull thoughts from his mind.

"Yes Ms. Tam. My men have already secured it, though none have been permitted on board I assure you. When you and your crew are up to it, I intend to supply you with whatever parts and labor you need to get back up in the air again." The Operative said with the slightest hint of a smile spreading across his face.

"Thank you," River whispered gratefully.

"Not at all Ms. Tam, I and my superiors have already cause you and yours more then enough pain, I owe you this much and so much more for making me see the truth."

The Operative then turned to leave to make preparations just as the medics began their work. Contemplating the sudden good fortune for a moment, River then turned back to her crew and started to give orders to the med teams as they began to patch up the battered crew.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

River took complete advantage of the wide discretionary powers the Operative had extended to her. She allowed the medics to bring the crew aboard one of the medical ships that had landed outside the main hanger. But once there she ordered all non-medical personnel off the ship along with any weapons on board. The crew of the ship balked but the Operative quickly stepped in to back her.

River watched over the crew like a hawk. Once their conditions had been stabilized she refused to allow and further procedures to be performed without her present to observe their work. She used her own medical skills to their fullest extent as she tried to perform whatever work she could herself before allowing the Alliance doctors to step in. She also insisted that every procedure be explained to her in great detail, making absolutely sure that they made no deviations to the set plan during the operations.

River had a great distrust of Alliance medical personnel after her own experiences with them, and she sensed a great amount of distrust and outright hostility toward the crew from many of the doctors even before she started making demands. She also knew that Mal in particular would want any Alliance personnel to be kept on as short a leash as possible when it came to his crew.

Jayne had been the first to recover from his injuries, needing only a few hours. He had only taken a few shots to the upper arm and shoulder. After the doctors had removed the bullets and patched up the entry wounds he was given a clean bill of health. He had been offered a chance to go back to Serenity to await word on the others but he decided to stay and offer River whatever support she needed, even if it was only to stand behind her and look intimidating while she barked out orders.

Jayne was confused by a lot of what River spoke about with the medical staff, but he was supremely impressed with how she handled the stuffed shirt Alliance doctors. Even though he didn't know a lot about medical procedures, he recognized being talked down to anywhere. River was quick to verbally knock them back down on their butts whenever they tried to belittle her, quickly pointing out several flaws in their proposed procedures. Seeing her in action, Jayne was glad he hadn't tried to take charge.

Inara didn't have any physical injuries to speak of, but the psychological trauma she was suffering from was just as debilitating as any gunshot or knife wound. She had been shaking uncontrollably since they had left that hallway. She felt exhausted but was unable to sleep, the screams of the Reavers sill rattling around in her head. It was only after a few days that she was able to keep down food and get some rest. Once she finally emerged from her seclusion, she joined Jayne and River in looking after the others. Inara too was awed at how River handled herself with the Alliance officials, her presence commanding a great deal more respect then one would expect of someone of her age.

Zoe was the next to come around. Her back injuries healing up enough for her to be up and about after about two weeks. River immediately tried to differ command back to the first mate. But after seeing River in action and hearing how well she had handled herself so far, Zoe allowed her to continue to function as the crew's de facto leader until Wash came around.

Kaylee came around almost the same time as Zoe. Her puncture wounds had healed up rather quickly, but the poison in her system had to be filtered out slowly. But once it had been cleared, she was pretty much healed. She quickly resumed her role as ship's morale officer and decorated everyone's rooms with things from home. After a day or so, River asked her and Jayne to go down to Serenity and try to suss out what kind of repairs they were going to need so she could forward on a list parts and labor requests to the Operative.

Wash was next, his head trauma finally coming down enough for him to regain consciousness. Once he did, he was largely recovered, as his leg wound had healed up on its own while he slept. Once he was up and on his feet again, Zoe began to resume her leadership role, much to the relief of River, who was anxious to spend more time with Simon and Mal. Simon had been in and out as he healed up form his stomach injury. He and River had spoken briefly each time he had been awake, but she hesitated to bring up her and Mal, not wanting to upset him so early in his treatment.

As Simon grew stronger though, River began to spend less time with him and more time at Mal's bedside. This was partly out of concern for Mal, and partly because she just wasn't ready to talk to her brother about her relationship with the Captain. Kaylee was more then happy to pick up the slack however, enjoying a chance to nurse Simon back to health for a change.

Mal had been the worst off by far, most of his injuries administered not by marauding, mindless killing machines like the Reavers, but by the cold surgical precision of the Operative. He had been in a coma ever since he collapsed in the hall. The whole crew was very concerned, but the doctors assured them that he would indeed make a full recovery. River too was hopeful, as she sensed his mind was still intact just under the surface of consciousness, biding its time until his body had healed. River spent almost the entire last week of his coma at his bedside, sending him pleasant dreams and trying to keep him informed about how the crew was doing as best she could. When Mal finally awoke, River's smiling face was the first thing he saw.

"Welcome back." River said, her eyes shining like stars as he slowly blinked awake.

Taking in the sight of her, Mal was almost left breathless; unable to fathom her complete and utter hold on his heart and mind.

"Am I dreaming?" Mal whispered out finally.

River smiled back at him warmly, "We all are."

Mal made a weak attempt at rolling his eyes as he smiled at the memory.

River's face lit up, "Don't make faces."

"The crew?" Mal asked casually, sensing that he somehow already knew they were fine.

"There almost fully recovered, most of them have headed back over to Serenity to start repairs."

"Repairs," Mal asked.

"Yes, the Operative has had a kind of…change of heart….he's given us any resources we ask for to help get the crew healed up and Serenity back on her feet." River said.

River then proceed to let Mal in on the details of the last few weeks. Mal was impressed with how thoroughly she had seen to the crew, handling everything in exactly the manner he would have wanted. After an hour or so, the rest of the crew came by to visit the Captain, including Simon who was now almost fully healed. No one had yet had the heart to tell him of what they had witnessed in the hall, not wanting to be the one to set him off. But a few tense moments arose as the crew told Mal about how River had taken charge.

"Yeah Mal you shoulda seen her," Jayne bellowed out as he related a story where River had forced two Alliances guards off the medical ship after they mistakenly wondered on board.

"Fore the poor bastards had even had time to piss'em selves she'd already taken their guns off'em and kick right down the landing ramp!!"

The whole crew erupted in laughter as Jayne tried to reenact the looks on the guards faces.

"Corse, that weren't the last time she had ta get rough with'em." Jayne said.

"Oh yeah, what about that time she almost killed that doctor?" Kaylee recalled.

"Yeah! Yeah! Dumbass came up here and tried to cut off your gorram leg Mal!" Jayne said turning to Mal.

"WHAT!" Mal exclaimed in disbelief.

"It's true," Inara added.

"Yeah he came in here and took a look at that leg you had been limping on and said that some thing had broke too bad or torn up too much and said it had ta come off," Kaylee said.

"Well River here took a look at them charts a yours and told that hudan he was off his rocker, said she wouldn't let him anywhere near you, ordered him off the whole gorram ship for even suggesting it." Kaylee said.

"Don't think he took it too kindly, didn't like taken orders from our girl here." Jayne continued.

"Tried to force his way into ya room here, but fore he even touched the doors she broke his arm knocked him straight on his ass!" Jayne said, another howl of laughter following.

"Then she nodded over to me, I grabbed him up and tossed him off." Jayne said as his laughter began to ebb.

And awkward silence fell upon the room as the memory trigged thoughts of the kiss that Jayne, Zoe, and Inara had witnessed and related to the others, except Simon. Finally Zoe broke the silence.

"Well, I think it's best we give the Captain some air and rest, need him to be back up and ready once the rest of us get Serenity up and running again." Zoe said in her most official sounding voice.

As the others shuffled out of the room, Zoe remained with River and Mal. Once they were gone she turned back to the couple.

"Your going to need to speak on this eventually sir," Zoe said.

Mal nodded, "I conjure that's true, and I plan on doing just that soon as I'm back on my feet."

"Just wanted to make sure sir." Zoe said reassuringly.

Zoe moved to leave, but shot River a look to follow. Looking back at Mal to reassure him she would return, River followed Zoe out into the hall.

"What's your intent here River," Zoe asked passively.

"I love him." River stated simply.

"You sure bout that?" Zoe pressed.

"With all my heart," River said, her gaze drifting back towards the doors to Mal's room for a moment.

Zoe's expression turned cold for a moment, "Better be, cause I've seen him around you, he's like he was before Serenity Valley. He's like a new man. If you suddenly decide to drop this, it'll destroy him worse then anything in the war. You'll kill him. You do that, and I don't care what kinda fancy fighting training you got, I'll end you faster then you can lift a finger."

River nodded solemnly, "I understand."

Zoe's expression lightened slightly, "Good."

Zoe turned to leave, but just as she reached the end of the hall she turned back slightly, "And River…about Wash….thank you…." She said as a tear tried to form in her eye as she remembered the Javelin piercing Wash's seat just moments after River pulled him out.

"Don't mention it." River said.

Without another word Zoe turned back down the hall and out of sight.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rest of Mal's recovery went fine, allowing him to return to the ship as the last few repairs were being made. After spending a few more days getting re-acclimated to the ship, Mal decided it was time to confront Simon.

Finding him in the med lab, Mal gulped hard as he stepped inside.

"Hey doc, there's some I been meaning ta talk with you about." Mal got out as he entered.

"What is it Captain, are some of your injuries not healing up correctly?" Simon asked, turning a clinical eye on Mal.

"No, it ain't nothing like that." Mal replied a bit hoarsely.

"Then what is it?" Simon asked.

"Well it's about River." Mal finally got out.

"What about her?" Simon asked, a dark expression starting to ghost across his face.

"Well, ya see, thing is she and I have started kinda seein each other, in a kinda romantic way." Mal blurted out clumsily.

Simon took moment to absorb what Mal had just said, a wave of confusion and anger passing over him briefly for a moment. As Simon began to reflect on the last few weeks he began to see trends ever since the Maidenhead. The way River had clung to him so fiercely afterward. Her frequent disappearances since then, how he had seen the two of them together more and more.

He remembered what River had said to them just before they had landed on Haven, how medicine wasn't what she needed. It was at that moment that Simon realized what had brought her out of her psychosis, no drug or treatment but this man standing before him. Simon unclenched a fist that he had unconsciously balled up as this sudden realization hit him. Upon seeing Simon's expression, Mal began to ease up his rigid stance as he braced for a punch.

Finally regaining his composure, Simon addressed Mal. "I see, well I can't say that your exactly the man I would have chosen for my sister." Simon said calmly

"However, you are a good man. You seem to have had a very positive effect on her, and I can't argue with the effect she's obviously had on you lately." He continued.

"Well, that's um….mighty generous of you Doc…" Mal said hesitantly.

"Make no mistake Captain, if you hurt her in anyway, I can think of thousands of ways to kill you, most of which are unfit for prison executions." Simon said with an edge of steel in his voice.

"Point taken Doc," Mal nodded.

As Mal turned to leave and Simon watched him go. Letting out a long sigh he pondered all the ramifications of his sister involved romantically with the Captain.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Mal made his way back up to the Bridge he ran into Inara on the catwalk. She looked as if she was ready to say something so he slowed down as he came up to the stairs taking a position next to her as he finally got to her level.

She wouldn't speak for a long while, silently starring out at the empty cargo bay. Then finally mustering the courage to speak she turned to Mal. "You love her don't you?"

Mal nodded, "I do." Mal replied simply.

"I…. believe it when I first realized it, thought you two were all wrong for each other, though I could hardly call myself an impartial judge of course." Inara managed.

"But seeing you two together these last few weeks, I can see that what you have is something very real, more real then anything we….we might…." Inara couldn't bring herself to finish.

Mal gave her a reassuring look, "Hey, don't be dwelling on that too much. You me well, we probly woulda killed each other after too long, figure its best we find people who understand us better."

A single tear escaped Inara's poised expression as she looked at Mal, "Well I don't know about that Mal, but I do know that you two are good for each other….I'm happy for you both."

"Well that's a kindness Inara," Mal replied.

Inara sighed awkwardly, unable to really express any other thoughts at the moment. In an attempt to break the awkwardness Mal, "So you ready to get off this heap and back to your civilized life?"

Inara looked down sadly, "I…ah….I don't know. Things are just so confusing with what I've seen recently, I just don't know if I can bring myself to go back to that prim and proper world and go on pretending like everything is alright anymore…."

Mal shot her an encouraging look, "Good answer."

Inara gave him a weak smile, knowing he was undoubtedly happy to hear her speaking such antiestablishment ideas so similar to his own worldview.

Mal turned to get to the bridge, to prep the ship for take off, giving Inara one last smile as he turned to leave.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finding that Wash was not at the controls, Mal relished the idea of bringing Serenity back up into the black himself. Setting himself down in the pilot's chair he was so exited he hadn't noticed the other presence in the copilot's chair until he looked up again. Smiling as he saw River punching away at the controls at the other station.

"You gonna help me pilot?" Mal said with a goofy grin still on his face.

River gave him a big grin of her own, "That's the plan."

So saying River turned back to the controls and pulled the stick back, gracefully raising the ship off the ground. Mal watched in amazement, wondering if their was anything the woman did that didn't bear her dancer like poise. Coming back to himself after a moment, Mal grabbed the stick in front of him and started to initialize the atmo breaking sequence.

"You know, it ain't all charts and graphs darlin." Mal said as he focused on the controls.

"You know what the first rule of flying is?" Mal asked

"Well I suppose you do, see as how you already know what I'm going to say." Mal continued.

"I do." River said sweetly adding, "But I still like to hear you say it."

Mal turned to her, his eyes full of compassion and love for the woman in front of him, "Love. You can learn all the math in the verse but you take a boat in the air you don't love she'll shake you loose sure as a turn of the worlds."

"Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells ya she's hurting before she keens, makes her a home." Mal finished breathlessly as he watched her rise from her seat and glide over to him, wrapping her arms around him and staring out into the sky in front of them.

Pausing as she started to see a whole multitude of visions of the crew's future, she said in a far off voice, "Storm's getting worse."

Mal turned to meet her eyes, "We'll pass though it soon."

With that the ship's autopilot engaged and Mal pulled River into one more long, sweet kiss.

Whatever their future would bring, they would face it with renewed hope, together.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Whew! Well there you go guys!! I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I want to take time to give special thanks to all of you who provided reviews for this story. Your comments were all extremely important and helpful to me as I wrote and your encouragement is without a doubt what drove me to press forward and keep so focused on this. I don't know if I would have been able to finish this if it weren't for you guys!

I also want to extend an extra special thanks to Just Slummin for all the guidance and advice provided when I first started, not to mention the fantastic stories that provided a much needed respite as I worked on this. Thanks for all your help!

Well that's all for this story, but keep your eye's pealed for upcoming sequels to this. Hope to see all your shiny input on my future works, your guys are the best!

Epilogue


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